That Little Pink Sign
by OnceUponACrane
Summary: That little pink sign is so unholy. You know the pink sign, the life is ended from this point on sign. And who could forget the my parents will kill me sign, at this moment that little pink sign is all of those things. Holy impregnated Batman, I am 16 and pregnant.
1. The One With the Prognosis

The door of the stall next to me slams and I get a knock on mine "oi what's the prognosis?" Only Lily Potter would say something like that in a public restroom. I open the door I shove the test in her face for her to see, she squeals and swats my hand away. The germaphobe."I am so massively screwed" I groan as we make our way back out onto the muggle street we had been wandering minutes before. We are currently in downtown London, having just left Diagonal Alley when Lily talked me into trying this muggle-pregnancy test. This was the second test I have taken in two days if I see one more plus sign I'm going to lose my mind. Lily is the only one who knows so far, I wish it could stay that way, or that one night stands where nonexistent. We turn a corner and I hail a cab to take us back to her house where I am staying for the summer holidays."Who's the dad El?" She asked for the third time today, I told her everything else, just not that. I don't want to involve the baby-daddy period, it's a long story. Guy dates girl, girl falls in love with him, the guy cheats On girl after having sex once, guy dumps the girl for the other girl. Ok, maybe not such a long story. I don't want him involved simply because he's a jerk.

Lily is still waiting for an answer "I don't know for sure", this is the first time I have ever lied to her. I already complicated things in her life by dating her cousin Hugo, one of her best friends at the time. When we broke up she stuck by me, she chose me over her own family, as far as I've seen he hasn't forgiven her. Can you see my dilemma? Lily thankfully doesn't press the issue and when we arrive at the Potter house she pays the driver (muggle money of course) I see her put on a smile that lights up her face. I mean, we are supposed to be two teenage girls fresh off work and going into the weekend. I follow her lead, throwing back my shoulders putting on my infamous smirk, and walk up the path to her home.

Moira greets me right away, winding her way around my feet and purring. I scoop her up and continue to the sitting room. Lily grabbed my sack along with hers and goes to dump them in her room and change out of her uniform from working at Florean Fortescue's Ice cream Parlour. I don't have a uniform at the Leaky Cauldron so I settle on the love seat with my cat and pull one of the magazines off of the coffee table and flip through it. Moira hisses and bats her paws at the air when James Potter walks in with a pint of Butterbeer and sits next to me. James hisses back, glaring at Moira, who decides she can't tolerate his presence and scatters. James grins at me then " your cat is a tiny menace " he informs me sipping his drink. I roll my eyes at him and block his attempts at using my legs as a footrest." Oi sod off I've been working six hours don't give me a reason to kick your arse." He lets out a laugh " Elide you and I both know you are far too nice to be making such threats." I sigh and then slip his glass out of his grip and take a swig, "oh my dear James it's the nice ones you have to worry about." I make my escape then, up the stairs and into Lily's room.


	2. The One With the First Meetings

"I can't believe you have an excuse to stop playing quidditch" Lily whines after a few hours of hanging out in her room finishing summer assignments before the new term. I roll my eyes at her "Woah, down girl turn down your jealousy level" I smirk at my best friend " you wouldn't want anyone finding out how little you care for the sport ". She shoots me a warning look and then proceeds to toss her quaffle at me. I catch it easily and let it fall onto my bed. Lily grins at me for a second before sobering " I can't tell anyone I hate it, especially not my family, they'd disown me and I would become a black sheep of one of the largest magical families in Britain." She informs me again. "Not to mention what a field day the prophet would have with that story" I tease her and smirk as her face goes red with annoyance. She picks up her comb and tosses that at me, I just manage to dodge so it smacks the wall behind me "temper temper" I tisk finishing the page of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them."Stop working and let me braid your hair already." Lily moves onto my bed and I move to the floor in front of the bed and pull my thick hair from its binding so it swings down my back. My hair is a golden blonde color with kinky curls, I usually French braid it to try and control the shape of it, otherwise it resembles an afro. I wear glasses too, black square framed to hide my eyebrows that are only one color half the time. And my eyes are icy blue, my favorite feature. Lily has her mums brown eyes and red hair, but it is always messy. She is 5 inches taller than I am and is, like all descendants of the golden trio, fairly recognizable. In a way that's how the two of us met.

 _I am sitting in front of my parent's office building in Diagon Alley, trying to avoid the people who stare as they pass by. It's hard to be discreet when the giant double doors flash in different colors, oh and there's the fact that a bunch of model broomsticks flies around to advertise the merchandise. Broomstick making has been my family's thing for over a century, and after my dad came out with the firebolt my family is more in the spotlight than ever. One of the doors opens and my dad's assistant Demelza walks out. She has been working for my parents for as long as I've been alive, in her mid-thirties with her dark hair cut short. She waves in greeting and walks over to where I'm sitting and pulls out my list of school books out of her pocket." Right then we'll stop by Gringotts first then work our way up from there Miss Lachlan." I roll my eyes when I know she isn't looking, it doesn't matter how hard I protest, she refuses to call me Elide. Aside from that though, Demi is great, she feels more like a parental unit then good ole mom and dad. My older brother has already started school and is a second year this year, sorted into Ravenclaw. Nolan Lachlan has every intention to continue the Broom business when he finishes school, me, not so much. I want to fly on brooms not sell them, I don't know if I'm good enough to make it professionally but that doesn't mean I couldn't take part in professional teams. Unfortunately, when I leave for school I'd have to leave my clean sweep 250 at home since 1st years aren't allowed but at least I'd have flying lessons. Demi's indulging me, lets me look around in Quality Quidditch supplies before doing the necessary shopping. I stopped in front of the keeper section, looking at the nice leather gloves and the pads that would be too big for me now before I let Demi lead me out_ _._

 _We had just finished fitting my robes at Madam Malkin's when a crowd seemed to be blocking the exit. I recognized the little wizarding family who had found themselves cornered by some Prophet reporters, it was the Potters. They looked a little harassed but resigned, like they face this kind of thing every day on every outing. Luckily I only experienced that kind of attention with mum and dad, and could tell the youngest kid, Lily, was having none of it and was a second away from shouting the lot out. So I opened the door of the shop a little and shouted: " oi look it's the Minister of Magic." The reporter fell for the bait turning away long enough for the Potters to slip in the shop. Lily looked at me then, smiling, her red hair falling in her face so she brushed it away and said: "not bad kid, not bad at all."_


	3. The One Where Nolan is No Help

"Oi don't space out on me now kid!" Lily tosses one of my newly cleaned pairs of socks that hits my shoulder and lands in my trunk. "what?" I look up at her, snapping out of my rigorous counting, by my calculations I am almost two months pregnant. Lily and I leave for Hogwarts in five days, and I still have told no one else that I have a bun in the oven since I found out 2 weeks ago. I planned on telling my parents yesterday but they were busy so now I have to tell them at the family dinner night, great. This sort of thing only happens in the summer, otherwise mum and dad would be far too busy with work, needless to say, it is a big deal. This will be the first time I've seen my brother Nolan all summer since he was traveling the world this past year and will start working with my dad in the fall. Since I don't technically live with the Potters my Owl results from last year was delivered to the Lachlan residence, I have yet to look at them. I probably should start with the hopefully good grades and then drop the bomb, gives me time to make a quick exit.

"You sure you can't skive off this family thing? I mean the extravaganza wouldn't be half as amusing if Sassypants isn't there!" James whines at me from across the counter, I roll my eyes at him as I add in sugar to the punch I mix every year. "Sassypants needs a break from parties past, and I am coming just not till after dinner you numpty!" He continues to pout at me and goes to finish decorating the den. Lily catches my eye then, she sets the punch bowl I asked her to grab down and whispers "what do you want me to tell them?" I sigh, Sassypants is the nickname I earned myself two years ago the first time I had ever drunk alcohol. It was so bad that I decided I wouldn't do it again until the next end of summer extravaganza. It became a tradition for me to get shitfaced, I can't expect it will go unnoticed this year. "Don't worry about it, I'll make the announcement when I come back" the Weasley Potter clan would likely be able to guess when I don't drink tonight anyway.

The Lachlan residence is located in outer London and wasn't usually stayed in during the summer time, everyone usually went off somewhere else or stayed in the flat over the Lachlan business (it's bigger on the inside). However, on nights like this, we would gather at the house so as not to be distracted by the goings on in town. It would have been a twenty-minute cab ride to get from the Potter's house to mine so I opted to use the Floo system instead. Lily wished me good luck and then had to make a quick exit due to the fact that James had thrown a fanged frisbee at her ( an oddly frequent occurrence ). Moira was meowing at me, almost as if she was trying to convince me not to go, and was the last thing I saw before stepping out in my living room.

"Hello anyone home yet?" I called out stamping my feet in the hearth to get rid of the soot on my shoes. I walked down the hall to the dining room before I heard signs of life. Nolan was setting the table for dinner, or trying to while reading a magical business book dad likely coerced him into reading (though it wouldn't have taken much, wanker loves reading). He looked up at me with a dazed expression "what? Oh hey, El" he dropped the knives and his book, cursing as he did so. I snorted at him " you do know there is this little thing called magic right?" Nolan scowled, " forgive me if I don't adhere to a constant reliance on magic dear sis" he informed me and handed me some forks then went to pick up the dropped knives. "Don't let mum hear you say that she'd have your head on a platter" I warned him. Mum is, to put it lightly, an isolationist. She doesn't roam the muggle world and never does anything without the help of some spell or other. She recently stopped working with dad on his business and now works for the Department of Magical Games and Sports, she often travels the world for her work. Dad is still a famous broomstick maker and spends most of his time in the office always looking for the next big thing.

"Don't tell me what?" mum had just entered the kitchen, still wearing her robes from work."Nothing" Nolan and I chorus simultaneously, grinning at each other like the mad kids we are. Mum doesn't notice, however, and is already bustling about the room issuing orders at warp speed.

"Elide your OWL results are on the sitting table in the living room, be sure to take them with you when you leave."

"Nolan, dear, you know I don't allow books at the table be sure to return it to its proper place!"

"Oliver! Elide is here come down for supper!"

"Milly bring round supper!"

Our house elf Milly scuttled in, the dinner dishes floating behind her and set themselves down. Milly, who is a squat younger elf, beamed at me in welcome.

"Will Mrs. be needing anything else?" she asked my mum, as always eager to serve.

"That will be all Milly thank you" mum dismissed her warmly and the usual crack announced Mill's disapparation. Dad walked in then, straightening his tie and nodding in greeting." Had a good holiday dear?" mum asked me as we settled down and dug in.

"Too short of course, always is," I say offhandedly drowning my bangers and mash in gravy (what! It makes anything better!) after that everyone had their mouths too full of food to say anything else.

"Right mum, dad I need to tell you something." dinner had just wrapped up, Nolan went up to his room ( probably reading some more ) and my parents and I had settled in the living room. Dad set down his newspaper, and mum sat down beside him.

"What is it dear? You're not expelled are you?" dad asked, nervously wringing his tie. A let out a short laugh "no dad the school would inevitably contact you with the issue of my expulsion" uh the mindless word vomit. I paced in front of the fire, trying to form the words in my mind in the best possible way. One of the pictures over the fire caught my attention, a family portrait from when I was about three. Mom and dad in front Nolan and I are on stools in front of them, we would fidget every few seconds we would attempt to run out of the frame. Dad would grab us and tickle us into submission, I didn't realize I had started crying until mum said: "is it boy trouble?" I made myself look back at her.

"I'm pregnant, mum and I don't know what to do." I couldn't stop myself from sobbing, standing still now waiting for someone to say something. My dad was looking at the floor and mum was in a weird position, not fully standing or sitting. Nolan came down than to use the family owl for a letter and almost didn't notice the commotion.


	4. The One Where Louis is a Great DJ

I don't need to be told twice, running up the stairs to grab the rest of my things from my room. I had planned for this kind of shunning but the blow still stung. I swiped angrily at the tears that build up in my eyes as I shove the odd books and things that had made their way on the floor back into place. I debate whether I should pack my poster board of the quidditch fantasy league I won last year. deciding that it is too bulky to bring without the use of magic, I fish out the small bag of floo powder and make my way back to the Potter's.

James whoops in greeting at my return making his way to Lily's room with my stuff. I roll my eyes behind his back and follow greeting Harry and Ginny as they pass me, on their way to the Burrow. When Lily sees me I know she can tell the dinner did not go well.

"Oi James go start on the punch everyone will be here within the hour!" Lilly shoves her brother out the door, ignoring his protests, slamming the door behind her. Best friends would console me or spout nonsense about how things will improve, not Lily. "They don't deserve you if they can't accept you" I sigh and take my hair out of my usual braids so the curls wind down my back. Lily does makeup on my eyes to better hide the fact I was crying and we both change into dresses we had picked out earlier that day. Lily's was a faded royal blue and ankle length, perfect for her height. My dress stops before my knees with a scoop neck and little sleeves. The coral color made my blue eyes stand out, this is my lucky dress and luck is just what I need.

The end of Holiday Extravaganza is a well-known event for the students of Hogwarts. It began with Teddy Lupin, who turned 17 the summer before his last year as a student. He was allowed to throw the party as a birthday bash at his grandmother's house with a dozen other students. All of the Wotter cousins were invited and since that time the Extravaganza turned into an annual thing. The date was pushed to later in the summer so it no longer fell on Teddy's birthday but he has attended them all. For the last three years, the Potter's have hosted with me assisting. Now Teddy is more of a chaperone, making sure it doesn't get too out of hand, especially when alcohol was introduced a few years ago. Usually, only fifth years and above are invited but some invited guests bring younger dates (cough James cough) but no one below 15 will be allowed drink. That was one of the agreements Harry and Ginny assigned the party when it was first held here, the rest follow along with the laws muggles pass about too loud music and the like.

Music blasts through the speakers Louis Weasley brought, along with his prized cd's. Louis works with Weird Sisters when they go on tour, setting up the stage and sound checks, he's been to more places on tour then anyone else I have met and has phenomenal taste in music (Muggle and Wizard alike ). Louis is Dj tonight (" no one else knows what they are doing") and is chatting with James and Molly Weasley. I walk over to them and request a song change from Louis who rolls his eyes before giving in.

"Oi oi, Molly how goes it in the shop?" I ask Lily's cousin who looks so much like her I might have mistaken the two if I didn't already know better.

"All fine uncle George finally got the slot in Hogsmeade we wanted so he assigned me to manage their for him." Molly beams at me with pride which I return in kind. Molly and I have a lot in common despite the five year age difference we are both the oddballs in our families. Molly's mum and dad would rather she seek work at the ministry, she felt happy with her job at her uncle's joke shop, as far as I know, they don't speak much. I look around the crowd and see Lucy, Molly's younger sister who is in my year but a Ravenclaw, chatting with Al and Scorpius Malfoy.

"That's great Molly let me know if you need help in the shop on Hogsmeade weekends yeah?" I ask trying to remain casual. Molly nods eagerly and spots her partner, Liza Crawly, and dances over to her. I remember when Molly came out, it happened at this party four years ago at Rose and Hugo's place. Molly had already told her family that day and made the announcement after several body shots, anyone who knew Molly wouldn't have been very surprised she turned out to be Bisexual.

"Come on El this song is great!" Lil proclaims before grabbing my hand twirling me with the beat of the song. I laugh as I stumble, dizzy from all the spinning, and sway as the music slows a little. I almost back into someone in all the chaos.

"Whoops sorry-" I ran into Hugo Weasley, my (shudder) baby daddy. The Hugo Weasley who scowls at me and returns to dancing with (gag) the homewrecker. "Nice to see you to Hugo oh by the way I'm pregnant and it's yours" I mutter under my breath, dang telling him is going to suck. Lily leads me away from the Hugo Weasley and co. and over to the drinks. Rose Weasley has been acting bartender since the party started (much to James' dismay) she has the annoying habit of keeping track of drinking levels. Since I know I can't drink anyway this doesn't bother me as much as it would have pre-bun in the oven. I wave away the strawberry margarita Rose offers me accepting an unopened water bottle instead, ignoring her raised eyebrows. Lily takes the margarita and toasts Rose before settling herself on one of the three bar stools across from Rose's counter. Not wanting to leave my friends support zone I take a seat next to her, only half listening to Lily's and Rose's conversation. James wanders over to the bar after a few minutes and mock punches my shoulder.

"All done for the night El?" He asks curious nodding at the water.

"I am not overly fond of what follows heavy drinking James" I respond coolly, smirking at him, James is known for having a blast the night before and a crab the morning after.

"Oh, sweet El you wound me so I know not what I did to deserve this harsh judgment-ughh" I laugh as James tries to throw Fred Jr. off while the former gives his best friend a noogie in a headlock. James does break free shoving Fred away laughing and sits next to me on the last barstool. "I have not seen you take a drink once tonight El, spill it," James whispers only loud enough for me to hear, his gaze sober on mine. I can't seem to look away from his deep brown eyes, much like his mum's. He isn't looking away either and I swear a minute passes before he takes my hand leading me upstairs.

Despite the rumors that have sprung up about the Extravaganza, the bedrooms are completely off limits except for the people who live in the house that is hosting. I know for a fact Ron Weasley put jinxes on all of the rooms in his house, much to the chagrin of his children. I can't tell for sure if there are Jinxes on James's bedroom as he closes the door behind me. If I know Ginny half as well as I think I do, she wouldn't stoop so low. I take in the tidy room James uses when he visits on holiday, now that he has his own flat. He has a few posters from the club he works for (Puddlemere United) along the walls, a cot, and a small dresser in the corner that looks almost empty. He tossed my quaffle to me, bloke must have nicked it from Lily's room when I was prepping for the party. He takes his wand from his pocket "muffliato" the spell falls over his door. I sink onto his bed pulling my knees up to my chest as if I can hide the invisible evidence. "Come on El I know somethings up, this is me." Yes, it is him, the boy I have had questionable feelings about for at least three years before I dated Hugo. James has been more of a brother to me than Nolan, notices something off when Nolan barely acknowledged I was there.

"I am going to have a baby James." Ughh, not the best way I could have phrased that. I can tell James looks taken aback by the news for a second, then he moves on. He sits next to me on his bed his hand fidgets a little like he doesn't know what to do with it, then takes mine in his.

"Are you okay?" His husky voice is lower than it needs to be, he's worried.

I let out a watery laugh "God no my dad kicked me out tonight, the baby's daddy hates me and I am sixteen and not ready for parenthood." More word vomit, great. James's eyes narrow at the mention of Hugo.

"You planning on telling him?" I know he thinks Hugo doesn't deserve to know, I am not sure that is what I want though.

"I haven't planned anything yet I'm a mess." I sigh fighting off a wave of exhaustion, it's around midnight now the party should be winding down soon. I lean into his side and he moves our hands so his arm wraps around my shoulder.

"Whatever you decide needs to be your decision, don't let your parents or Hugo or anyone else what to do with it alright it's your life to live," James informs me and I nod yawning not fighting him when he pushes me gently back on his bed. I pull his comforter over me and he grabs a blanket and one of his pillows and settles on his floor after turning out the light.

We wake up when Lily shrieks at the sight of us the next morning.


	5. The One Where Nothing Happened!

James rolls off the bed, he must have forgotten I was there after a while, landing on the floor with a loud thump. I sit up in the bed blushing, this does not look good. Lily is at a loss for words rushing out of James room with me in tow.

" You wanker what were you thinking! If it had been anyone else to but in the press would have a field day, they hardly need a reason these days." Lily hisses as we make our way across the hall to room slamming the door behind me, probably waking up everyone else. She plops down on her bed and stares at me expectantly. I burst out laughing then at her reaction and the ridiculousness of everything that's happened over the course of two days.

"Don't be such a headcase Lil you know I'm not that kind of person, nothing happened really." Lily almost looks disappointed by this (she ships me with her brother if you can believe it) and I roll my eyes at her guessing what she says next.

"You know if you wanted to start a relationship with J I am all for it but subtlety can only help you at this point and with the baby…" Right, the baby. I groan and settle on the floor in front of her and lean back into her embrace. I contemplate telling Lily that James already knows I'm pregnant and I almost don't, almost. "I swear sometimes it is so easy to forget how perceptive James is, he acts like he is a regular playboy all the time…" I tune Lily out, sensing the conversation going off track and look instead at the decorated wall in front of me. Most of the photos are Lily's except for the Quidditch posters that she graciously allowed me to put up over the years. My eyes stop at the most recent addition, a gift from James on my birthday. Lily and I have birthdays that usually fall in the same week over the Christmas holidays so we normally have a joint party. James had just been recruited to Puddlemere United and gave Lily and me both autographed posters (Lily's went in the bin after the party and mine went up here). Photo James flys around on his broom winking and showing off occasionally catching the quaffle thrown from someone outside the frame. Butterflies flutter feebly at the picture as if waking from hibernation. "Right then I'm showering mum says we need to be ready to in an hour go bug Al to make his hangover cure, would you? My skull feels like it will split any minute." I roll my eyes as my best friend shoots me a grateful smile, grabs a towel and heads down the hall to the bathroom.

The next hour is extremely hectic, in normal Wotter fashion. I bang on Albus's door until Scorpius lets me in revealing Al hard at work with his hangover cure. He gives me the whole batch (for my fellow students on the train) and shuffles me out the door so he can resume his Scorpius time (my words not his). Lily finishes packing her trunk (I had already finished before the disastrous dinner with my family) and I take a quick shower. The Potters have called a cab for this trip to Kings Cross as it will be just Harry, Ginny, Lily and I. James and Al had shouted down their goodbyes as we headed out the door, still recuperating from the Extravaganza. Lily had her British Shorthair cat Ralph in his carrier on her lap and Moira's in mine, our trunks in the back. I, as usual, got stuck with the hump seat because I'm the "smallest". If I was with anyone else I would have been uncomfortable but the Potters are practically family so I don't mind. By the time we reach the station we have about ten minutes before the train leaves, I give the Potters a wave goodbye and grab Lily's trunk in one hand and mine in the other to find our friends.

I nod at the few Wotters on the train (we really are the young end of this generation) and slide open the door of the last compartment on the right greeting all of the gang in turn. Ok, so when I say gang I don't mean American gang, just a group of friends who grew really close in a short period of time ( about three years ) when most of the older Wotters had finished school. There are eight of us in total (Lily included obviously) myself, Marly, Leah, Riley, Kragan, Sarah, and Ingrid. All sixth Years. Mostly girls. Marly's parents are American and were really into Bob Marley when they had him, hence the name. Riley is a trans-man who transferred from Ilvermorny and was in transition when he started Hogwarts our third year. He used to be called Rachel and it was slightly awkward for the first week when everyone kept calling him that when he had already changed to Riley but people soon got over that. Sarah and Ingrid are fraternal twins from York and are complete opposites (in Hufflepuff and Slytherin respectfully.) Leah shares a dorm with Lily and me in Gryffindor and is a big Ireland Club supporter (she lives in Dublin) and has the temper for miles. Kragan is French-Canadian who transferred from Beauxbatons after the first year ( "the snobs wouldn't know fun if it hit 'em in the arse"). We all knew of each other before the third year (apart from Riley) but we hadn't really hung out until Riley joined the compartment Leah Lily and I shared, the very last one on the right. The rest trickled in after a few hours of that journey and hit it off with just enough chaos to work well with how different we are from each other.

"Oi oi, you Wankers! Budge up there Marly you can't have two seats." I greet my friends and heft my trunk above the seats and Marly does the same with Lily's before giving out a mock groan.

"Oi oi, El" Riley returns sounding just as American as he was three years ago if you can believe it. I sit down by the door leaving the seat next to me empty for Lily. Leah, Sarah, and Ingrid were all made prefects last year so they wouldn't be joining us until later. Leah's cat Mordrid the Mutt (no one knows what breed he is) hops onto the seat next to me and Kragen, Marley, and Riley all start to tell me about their holidays. Stopping only when Lily arrives, starting over so she doesn't miss out. I let Moira and Ralph out of their carriers so they can play with Mordred.

"Guys Jalide is a go!" Lily proclaims when the others had finished telling their tales. Yes, my friend has a ship name for her brother and me and yes I hate it very much.

"Lily I told you nothing happened" I try to reprimand her but it's lost under the squeals and whoops of our friends. I glare at Marly who was waggling his brows at me and making kissing noises. Riley was pressing Lily for details glancing over at me every few seconds, looking as if Christmas had come early. Lily's version of what happened was so detailed it made me wonder if she had a nanny cam in James's room.

"Honestly you lot" I exclaim exasperated when they start listing date ideas "I swear on Merlin's right sock nothing happened."They change topics but I doubt they really believe me, sigh.


	6. The One With The Baby Daddy

"So was The Hugo Weasley at the Grand Extravaganza this year?" Kragan asks smirking at me (he was the mastermind for that nickname and uses it any chance he gets). We had only been on the train for barely more than an hour before the Extravaganza comes up, typical. This year none of the gang could make it out to the party, they were either traveling or doing some family thing. And then there are Riley's parents who found out last year that we drink at our parties and insist that he not be allowed to go until he turns seventeen and is a legal adult. He pointed out the party happens before his birthday and would then miss the point of the celebration (Americans *eye roll*).

"Yes he was and he brought the homewrecker with him, she dyed blonde" I inform him laughing as he Sarah and Ingrid (natural blondes) roll their eyes.

"Doesn't she have naturally black hair?" Riley inquired jostling a sleeping Mordrid the Mutt who hissed and jumped ship. I nod and watch as the twins double time a second eye roll. Kragan just looks scandalized shoving a laughing Marly onto the floor in exchange for his reaction.

"Why anyone would do that is beyond me the roots would be a nightmare!" Kragan continued looking genuinely confused. Lily rolls her eyes at him, scratching a snoozing Ralph behind the ears.

" We can't all have your glorious looks Kray-Kray" Lily points out smirking.

"Hark who's talking? You realize how many people have dyed their hair red to keep up with famous Wotter red? At least twenty in school right now." Sarah reminds her, running a hand through her raven black pixie cut. Everyone laughs at that, even Lily.

"That is precisely what happens when one of you goes and confesses that they prefer redheads," I state snickering at Lily's annoyed expression.

"Louis never really was that good at handling the press."Sighs Lily probably thinking obscenities to herself at the scandal that aroused after that mishap. She brings out a box of chocolate frogs and we all take one and the conversation switches to lessons for the year. Lily and I are taking the same lessons this year so I let her talk, choosing to listen to the requirements for St. Mungo's that Riley needs to take if he wants to pursue healing.

I almost don't notice when a new voice joins the mix "hello you lot." I turn and see The Hugo Weasley standing in our compartment. His eyes are steely on mine "I need to talk to you alone El." Crap, does he know? How could he know?

"We are on a train full of students and little space Weasley, where exactly would we go to be alone?" I ask, anxious now, Lily knowing was one thing but everyone else all at once?

"Fine, we'll stay here then."He looks nervous now (never was comfortable with my mates). "Can you get a pregnancy test for me?" Wait, what?

"Excuse me?" I could not have heard him right. "You want me to give you a pregnancy test?" I ask still confused.

"Are you expecting Hugo?" Leah teased with Riley and Marley chortling.

"Of course not!" Hugo sputters "Allison missed her period and can't get one for herself, her parents would kill her." The irony is coming on strong this year. "So can you do it?" His eyes are pleading and I am hit suddenly with the reasons I fell for him in the first place.

"Sure I guess." I had a muggle test left over in my trunk I was saving for later but he doesn't need to know that. Life just keeps getting more and more complicated.

To no one's surprise, Hugo and Allison are the subjects of conversation for the rest of the journey. When the boys go out do the girls can change into school robes I can hear them continue to rip on Hugo like the gossips they are. We swap out so the boys can change and Leah, Sarah, and Ingrid make their way back to the Prefects car for instructions. Lily and I don't go back into the compartment right away since Lily is standing in front of the door, the boys haven't noticed yet.

"That was way too close for comfort with Hugo back there." I moan Lily nods soberingly.

"You were going to tell him weren't you?" She asks, surprised at the nerve of it all.

"I would have but then he dropped the news if I tell him now and Allison is pregnant he will likely assume I want him back." I rap angrily at door I am leaning on, frustrated at my own bad luck.


	7. The One With the Pumpkin Juice

The group splits when we enter the Great Hall and Lily, Kragan, Leah, Riley, and I sit together at the Gryffindor table whispering amongst ourselves during the sorting. The Hugo Weasley isn't sitting far from us and shoots glances our way every so often. Finally all of the first years have been sorted and the Headmistress Mcgonagall gives the same speech every year before telling us to tuck in. Riley and Kragan both snag t-bone steaks and boiled potatoes and dig in. I know I should probably be super careful with what I eat but at this point I don't know what that means so I grab a little of everything and eat until I am full. Lily is a vegetarian so she plates a salad and some fruit and decides to have some treacle tart for dessert. Leah grabbed a few slices of ham and pickled cabbage (sounds bad tastes good) with some lemon sherbet. We eat and laugh (it's a wonder what else we have to talk about) and groan, patting our invisible food babies, making our way up to Gryffindor tower. Leah tells us the password ( snot grass ) and split again, Riley and Kragan on the left, Leah, Lily, and I on the right.

The three of us are the only sixth year girls in Gryffindor this year (one thing going right at least) so it is finally quiet after the long journey and dinner. I glance over at Leah who is unrolling a poster of the Irish international team and trying to hang it straight.

"Kragan not made a move yet?" I ask Leah who rolls her eyes at me a tell all signal.

"He remains oblivious but we did write a bit this summer and he hasn't gotten back with what's her name yet so that's good yeah?" I nod remembering the fling Kragan had with a Slytherin seventh year whose name I can't remember, how weird Leah was when Kragan hung out. It didn't take much for the rest of us to put two and two together, not Kragan though.

"Relationships are messy Leah, best to tread carefully you don't want to end up like-" Lily broke off before she could finish sending a guilty look my way.

"It's Kragan though, he has to be the most open guy I've ever me, I doubt he would be more than I could handle." Leah pointed out missing Lily's mistake. "I guess I will just have to wait and see." I toss Lily's Pj bottoms that somehow got into my trunk onto her bed before pulling on my own.

"So you know what happened with Hugo on the train right?" I ask Leah deciding that keeping it from her would be pointless. Her eyebrows are lost in her bangs now, I never talk about Hugo voluntarily.

"Yeah you need to get him a test or something? What is that about anyway? Why you of all people? If I had an ex I would not ask for a favor like that." Leah asks and I blush at how close she gets to figuring it out on her own.

"Yeah umm…. I actually need to tell you something that has to do with that, Hugo I mean." I look down at the floor now trying to form the words differently, wishing I didn't have to say them at all.

"You aren't getting back with him are you?" I look back up at Leah then, stunned.

"Uhh no? I don't really know maybe but only because I'm pregnant." Leah's jaw is moving but no words come out, she reminds me of a pet fish Nolan had when he was younger. Glub glub glub, silence.

"Well shit!" Lily laughs at the cuss word and I can see her relax on her four poster.

"I know!" I groan.

"And It's Weasley's?"

"Without a doubt."

"Damn that's rotten luck."

"My sentiments exactly." I sigh fixing my braid to distract myself. Lily lets out a snort before sitting next to me.

"You are going to have all kinds of weird cravings like pickle juice for breakfast ohhh that would make a good bet game Leah!" Lils eyes are sparking at the idea and I roll my eyes.

"I don't care what I eat so long as I can hold down pumpkin juice this kid owes me that much." I proclaim and my roommates break into a fit of giggles before eventually settling down to sleep.

The next morning the sixth year dorm is buzzing, Leah and I have been up for a half hour, being morning people. Every now and then Lily would moan and roll over, refusing to get up until we rip off the covers and nudge her out of bed. Lily moans again before stumbling towards the bathroom. Leah and I share a look of amusement, good to see things aren't awkward between us now.

"Hurry up Lil or we leave without you" Leah mock warns her receiving a

"Bugger off" slightly muffled, through the close door of the bathroom connected to our dorms.

This year I planned on taking all of the same classes I had taken last year, apart from potions as I only received an E on my OWL's. Now that I won't be playing Qudditch this year and possibly next year as well I likely need to cross off Pro Qudditch off my list of potential careers, sigh. I am taking all the courses I need for my backups, working with magical creatures in the ministry or as a prof here. Grubbly-Plank took over for Hagrid when he retired but even she is nearing retirement age now so Hogwarts might be looking into a new Professor for that position by the time I am finished with school. now even my backup plans look like they might be out of reach, oi that's depressing. Lily finishes in the bathroom and we head out to the great hall, meeting Riley and Kragan on the way and taking our usual seats at the end of the long Gryffindoor table, closest to the staff table. I poured some pumpkin juice in my goblet before passing it along to Lily along with a parcel containing the pregnancy test. We worked it out this morning that pretending the package got sent to the wrong person would be the most believable excuse for why Lily would give it to Hugo. Lily tosses the parcel to Hugo, sitting a few seats away with a "your owl brought that for you Hugo" before resuming her porridge eyeing my pancakes with disdain. She doesn't say anything about it though since I haven't had the chance to clue our other mates in on the bun situation. When most of the students have finished eating Professor Longbottom started handing out everyone's schedule approving or disapproving the sixth years as he goes. He merely glances at mine before giving me a jolly

"Good good Miss. Lachlan on you get" and handed mine over, I have a free period right away this morning while everyone else has Herbology and they make their way out onto the grounds. I wave them off and the others from their various tables and make my way to the Hospital Wing.

Madame Bones, the new matron nurse after Madame Pompfrey left years ago, smiles warmly in greeting. She knows me fairly well because I often get injured from qudditch or visiting one of my mates (Marley is a fan of Muggle fist fights for some reason but often loses them.) She is a portly woman with her reddish brown hair up in a bun under a cap. She was in the same year as the golden trio in Hufflepuff, a little younger than my parents. Her eyes sweep my body, looking for a physical sign of an injury, before asking me what's wrong.

"I got pregnant over the summer." I must say she handles the whole thing rather well, not even blinking an eye before she clears the closest cot with the wave of her wand and asking me all sorts of questions. I answer all of them to the best of my knowledge, knowing her oath of confidentiality prevents her from speaking about this to anyone who doesn't need to know. The whole thing feels so real now that I can hear the heartbeat and see the baby (the picture shows what position the baby is in if it moves.) She tells me about my options and what I would need to do for them each in turn.

"Unfortunately it may be too late to perform an abortion now that you are so far along and so young, I wouldn't recommend that for you, so adoption or self raising would be your best bet. Have you given any thought to what you would like to do?" She stops her long monologue to look at me, I am suddenly very uncomfortable, I have no idea what I want to do. I just shake my head, unable to form the words in my head. "Well there is still time to figure it out of course but I recommend you give these a read as they will give you an idea what will happen either way." She hands me a small stack of books that I stuff into my sack without looking at them. "I will need to see you again in a few weeks for a follow up so make sure you come in again soon." She puts her hand lightly on my shoulder "I know it feels like a lot now but there are people you can lean on, just ask." I nod my emotions twisting again as I made my way out of the Hospital wing and towards the transfiguration classroom for my first lesson.

L: My god El why didn't you ask someone to go with you? Must have been super awkward.

E: yeah it was and she was just there telling me I have options, but adoption is the best one, like way to be objective lady.

Leah: so you haven't a clue on what you will do then?

E: none, she made it seem like I should give the baby up, like there is no way I can possibly raise it myself, how would she know? I could be a great mum!

L: don't think on it too much El

Leah: yeah you have what 6 months? Plenty of time to make up your mind.

El: do you lot think I could do it? Raise the baby I mean?

…

L: not really the right people to ask El

Leah: we are all kids here, we are not meant to think about this until we graduate at least.

El: great vote of confidence mates I mean really.

Leah: I support you fully and whatever, but, if it were me I couldn't do it.

L: me either

El: Prof coming

Leah vanished the evidence before the Prof could see and we all resumed the note taking, grinning at each other and the rest of our mates scattered around the room.

After lunch Kragan and I have a free period so we head to the library to work on the essay we got for transfiguration. We work and talk quietly for a while, the librarian is a lot better than the stories I heard about her predecessor. I learned that he never really got with anyone over the summer, focused on quidditch. Kragan is captain of Gryffindoor team for two years now and wants to hold trials for a new seeker to replace the one who left last year.

"Buchultz has a good eye but not the best flyer that I've seen." He tells me, Buchultz is in our year and has tried out for the team every year since our second.

"He might just make it this year." I tell him, rolling up my essay, now finished.

"I mean maybe but I know there are better seekers than him everyone knows he prefers keeper but obviously I have one already" he gives me a pointed look " so it isn't likely."

"I can't play this season Kray."he laughs like I have just told a joke, until he sees how serious I am.

"Wait what?why?what?" I can see him start his captain freak out so I cast muffliato on us so no one would notice if he started shouting.

"I am going to tell you something and I would prefer if you not tell anyone else, even the gang." He nods looking worried now. "I got pregnant when Hugo and I had sex last year."

"Wow"

"Yeah"

"Crap El"

"I know, I'm in deep shit."

"You ok?" I laugh at that, fastening the snaps on my sack.

"Parents are raving, apparently I am due in April. Only a few people know about it." He doesn't look surprised by my parents response, they don't like my friends much either for some reason.

"THW know?" I shake my head no.

"If I keep the baby I might tell him but there would be no point if I give it up for adoption." He doesn't respond to that, returning to his essay, rolling up his parchment.

"So you really can't play huh?" I shake my head, casually bumping my shoulder to his.

"If it helps I don't like it either but hey I can be drill coach and help with the plays, conditioning, the others will have to hate me for all the killers I can make them run Instead of you." I smile at him, he throws his head back and roars with laughter.

"Lil will kill you before she lets you tell her to run killers." I am laughing to now, shoving him away when he started imitating Lily throwing a tantrum.

"If it's all the same to you the team could definitely use support if we have to lose our glue for a year." I roll my eyes but can't help but be thankful for how easy he is taking this. I swipe at my eyes, annoyed at all the hormones making me over emotional.

Kragan raises his eyes at me I swat his shoulder and tell him off.

"You wanker don't read too much into it." The bell rings and we make our way to charms for the next lesson. "So you know who would be a great seeker?" I ask as we round the corridor.

"Who?" he asks waving at Sarah, Ingrid and Marley who were coming from the other direction.

"Leah" I tell him with a straight face, he looks puzzled at that.

"Le? I didn't even know she played, has she told you she plays?" I snicker at him, Leah has six older brothers and lives on an estate that has 20 acres and their own pitch out in the backyard. I slept over over there once and all they did for fun there was something quidditch related.

"She's like the Pele of seekers Kray." I nod in greeting to Ingrid, Sarah, Marley and now Riley as he sat next to Kragan at the desk on my left.

"Who we talking about?" Leah asked from the desk behind me, pulling out a spare roll of parchment for notes.

"You" I tell her smirking at her, I swear she turns white as a sheep at that.

"Who is Pele?" Ingrid asks tightening her Slytherin tie (being pureblood she doesn't know much about Muggle culture.)

"Don't worry about it the point is Leah's a great seeker and should definitely try out this Friday, god knows she would be a good contrast to some of the lesser types that show up every year." I inform Kragan and he nods, everyone else just stare at me.

"What?" I ask Lily who raises her brows in response.

"Since when do you rip on other people El?" Sarah asks from her seat next to her sister.

"Yeah wake up on the wrong side of the bed much." Ingrid teases, I roll my eyes, damn these mood swings!

"Yeah sorry didn't sleep that well." No one looked like they believed me very much but the Prof just walked in calling our attention as the lesson began.


	8. The One Where Everyone Knows

"Man one week at school and already I feel like i'm drowning" Riley moans dropping his sack on the squashy arm chair next to mine. I roll my eyes at him, he isn't wrong though, sixth year is going to be tough.

"That's what one gets for picking the hardest career path there is." I remind him shifting in my seat to try and ease the back pain from wood desk chairs all day.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time" Riley sighed rubbing the sleep from his brown eyes greeting the rest of the gang as they sit in their chairs that come out of nowhere in normal Room of Requirement fashion.

"Stop it you two there is no school talk in this room while i am here, need I remind you of the rules." Leah scolds from her bean bag on the floor, pointing at the list of rules we drafted when we established our group mentality would be different from others. Rule number 5: absolutely no school talk in the room.

"Alright fine then change of subject." Riley relented, fluffing his already plumped out pillow.

"So I was researching the Wronsky feint the other day-" Kragan started

"Oh boo rag man if we let you go on about quidditch we'd be here all night." Ingrid interrupted throwing her pillow at him and laughing as he fell out of his chair. I glanced over at were Leah was sitting next to him, squealing when his head fell into her lap before he righted himself. I gave her a look that said "kiss him kiss him now!" in response she rolled her eyes and gave me a "back at you look" sigh. On top of that Lily keeps giving me an annoyed look, I should have told them all ages ago I just never had a time with all of them together like this until now. Now that I can, I find it hard to spit it out, in classic Gryffindor fashion.

"Ok fine then, ladies and gentlemen I bring you a subject change." I shift again in my seat before I give up and start pacing shooting panicked looks at Lily who in turn gave me a nervous look.

"Dude I think it's best to just tell them."

"Tell us what?" Sarah asked looking confused, I sigh, twisting my braid and letting it fall again before saying.

"I'm pregnant."

Everyone just stares at me except for the few who knew already, Sarah and Ingrid wear twin looks of worry. Marley was trying to pick his jaw off the floor, Riley just looks uncomfortable.

"I'm due in April and it's Hugo's and because of all the drama with home-wrecker I Didn't think it would be a great time to tell him." The silence drags on, Leah and Lily glance at each other and away again, Kragan just stares at the floor. Sarah, who is the most responsible person I know looks disappointed.

"El I honestly thought you were the kind of girl who knew when to say when." I can't look at her now, shame washes over me.

"I don't really know what kind of girl I am" I respond, sheepish.

"My God El really? What are going to do about it? I hope you've at least told Weasley." Lily shakes her head, giving Ingrid a stop talking look but she ignores Lily. "He has a right to make the decision with you Elide its his to." I nod staring at the floor feeling intensely awkward about the whole thing, Lily, however, was having none of it.

"He may have gotten Homewrecker pregnant to, in case you lot have forgotten do you really want El to be caught up in that drama?" Defiance flashing on Lily's face and Ingrid held up her hands in surrender, letting it go.

"It would just be better if she told him rather than he hear it from someone else Lil" Sarah pipes up from her corner by one of the fireplaces, sending a worried look my way (always the mother hen our Sarah).

I sigh annoyed with the tension in the room, " I don't want to be one of those whiny teens who claim their lives have ended but this sucks!" The others nod seriously except Riley who looks indignantly at me.

"Who says your life is over eh? I mean sure it will be a big change and all that but you can deal with it, for god sake you are the most confident person I know act like it will you?" We all laugh at that, the tension easing up a little bit the rooms environment returning to its cheery mood as the subject then changed to my options. Marley brought up an add he had seen in the Prophet about an adoption agency in Hogsmeade.

"You have to write in to schedule an appointment but they have some of the prospect's profils listed in here." Marley hands me a copy of today's paper, showing me a picture of a couple sitting on the steps of a little cottage, smiling and waving. I laugh awkwardly at that, now certain I did not want to give my baby up to a stranger.

"Doesn't this seem a little superficial?" I ask him, he shrugs and Ingrid asks

"So what are you going to raise the kid while your still in school? Would MCcgonagall even allow that?" Lily shoots her a warning look but I wave her off, its a valid question.

"I have to meet with her tomorrow and Professor Longbottom to discuss what I can do, I doubt my family will want to care for it while I'm here so I would need to raise it here somehow." The more I talk about it the surer I become with my decision, I can do it, I want to. Marley perks up again and rambles on about some parenting books his mom had at home, they appear in turn as he lists them off, in a stack in front of him and he picks up the closest one and flips through it. Riley, Sarah, and Ingrid start listing spells that could convert a dorm into a nursery while Lily and Leah start comparing dates for a baby shower. And then there is me. I can't help the relief that floods through me, things weren't great still, but they were getting better.

Watching the group of people huddled on the grounds of the pitch, waiting to try out, I flip through the notes I have been revising on the potential prospects. I kept track of how many saves the keepers all made (Buchultz will likely get the position this year though he has a lot of work to do) and catches made by the seekers who are all trying out now. I spot Leah flying among others (she changed her mind a lot about whether or not she would try out) so far she caught the snitch 5 out of the 7 times. Kragan is stationary in the air ten yards above where I am sitting, occasionally shouting orders at the others. Lily ( a chaser ) streaks out at some of the kids to test their reflexes, while our beaters aim bludger after bludger into the mass. Man I miss quidditch. Sarah sits next to me asking me every now and then if I needed anything it got annoying real fast, thankfully she stopped before I flew off the handle at her. Sarah, despite being a Hufflepuff, was the only one who could pull away from her school work to keep me company for these tryouts. She cheers Leah on as she caught another snitch, waving it at us, grinning. After a few more rounds Kragan ends the session, announcing the results would be posted on the board in the common room the following friday. I dropped off my notes with him before he stalked off to talk to his beaters, and waited for Leah to touch down so the four of us girls could walk together. Leah was practically singing for the rest of the night.


	9. The One With the Meetings and Stuff

"Out! Out! The lot of you, really Miss Lachlan I don't think this is appropriate to bring all of your mates to a meeting such as this." The headmistress looks down her nose at me scolding at the gaggle of my friends waiting for my follow up with Madame Bones and talk with her and my head of house.

"I had nothing to do with it Professor they insisted on coming." I tell her, exasperated that they all looked annoyed at her reaction.

"I will permit Miss Weasley to come in with you only everyone else must wait out in the corridor until we are finished." The headmistress turned swiftly on her heal marching through the doors to the hospital wing. I send an apologetic look to my mares before following, Lily by my side. I freeze when I see my mom sitting in a chair by herself looking unruffled but still poised as ever. I sent a letter to my mum earlier this week, telling her when the meeting would be so she and my dad might come, I assumed the lack of response meant they wouldn't be coming.

"Mum you came!" I paused in front of her unsure of how to approach but she got up from her chair and gave me a quick squeeze before giving me space to settle on the cot. "I wouldn't miss this love, it may have been a wee bit of a shock when you told me but I see no reason to give you a cold shoulder for it. Your father, unfortunately, is a another story, just give him some time and space and he'll come around." Lily looks impressed with my mum (she used to think mum was a bit of a pushover) and sits in my mother's vacated chair so mum can stand by my side.

Madame Bones reviews what happened at the last meeting and what to expect for my second trimester. "Do we want to know the gender?" Madame asks looking at me, ignoring Lily's eager "yes!" I nod more for my friends than anything else (they all had a bet going.

"All right then" she casts a wordless spell that shoots a white powder form her wand there were two separate layers that turned pink and one blue. I could literally see the color leach out of my mums face, she was speechless. Madame Bones gave me a warm smile "two girls and a boy, well they should keep you busy then." I just stare at her then at Lily who is doing a weird little dance in her seat and back at my mum.

"I have three babies." I tell her, as if she hadn't already figured it out, completely shocked. Oh my God! I thought one would be hard but three! These kids are gonna kill me man. All the adults in the room moved away from my cot to debate how we could make this work but I stayed on the cot staring at the picture form the last visit, and I could see three shapes now that I didn't notice before. Lily sobered a little now and vanished the dust so I could button up my shirt again (thank God Professor Longbottom opted out on seeing that last part).

"Your not changing your mind are you?" Lily asked when I started crying for a reason I can't remember now. I shake my head I still want my babies but three of them.

"I don't know how well we could keep up with three of them Lil." She squeezes my hand in hers reassuringly giving me her no nonsense look.

"There will be one for each of us." Lily chirps and I can tell she wants to do her little dance again. Now the adults have returned and asked me what I would like to do.

"I think I should be with them for a month or so after they are born so they could stay in the dorm with me overnight but I don't know who could watch them when I have class." We talked for a little bit longer before it was decided. Mum would come to Hogsmeade on the weekends and watch them, during the week I would have them, dropping them off with Madame Bones until all my lessons are finished. For next year mum would get a flat in the village and watch them full time and I would receive special permission to visit when I can. I tried to talk mum out of the last bit "you love your job mum I can't ask you to do that!" she wouldn't take no for an answer. Madame Bones assured me it wouldn't be too much, I have some apprentices from your year that I will be training, by the time the babies come they will be able to assist me sufficiently when I need it. Professor Longbottom tried to talk me into taking a break from school but I refused, this I know I can handle.

"All right then, now that the matter has been settled I have some business to attend to if you'll excuse me." MCcgonagall announced and left the room mum, who had to get back to work, followed close behind. I stared at the little bump that had started to show, it would be fairly noticeable soon. I smiled to myself as I let Lily pull me out to the hall to share the news with everyone (Riley won 5 galleons) and to the library to work on the ever growing pile of homework.

I left the round table we had claimed for work space in the library to find a particular book on Mooncalfs I needed for an essay when I ran into The Hugo Weasley. He almost didn't stop until I threw my arm out, blocking his path. "What?" he asks annoyed.

"I need to talk to you." I tell him, pulling behind the nearest stack of books and casting Muffliato so we could have some privacy. I can tell he is getting impatient, all but glaring at me, the ass. "Was she pregnant?" I ask "your girlfriend was she pregnant?" He shakes his head

"Just a scare thank God, thanks for getting her that test by the way that was decent of you." Ha figures when I want to hate him and he gives me no reason to. "I know I'm not your favorite person but thanks" oh now I remember.

"Don't mention it Hugo but seriously I need to tell you something." For some reason I am not nearly as nervous telling him as I was with everyone else. "She may not be pregnant but I am, and they're yours."


	10. The One With All the Cravings

The One With the Cravings

"I could really use a nice scoop of ice cream right about now" I announce to Lily and Leah as we get ready for bed, Moira is curled up on my bed purring away, I reach down and scratch her ears.

"No way El, the last time you thought you had a craving it turned out to be false and made you puke." Lily reminded me but I swear the only thing I could think about now was cool sweet ice cream.

"It's a real one Lil, pleases please please can you bung me some ice cream?"

"You puked on my bed as I recall." Leah chimed in climbing into her four poster.

"We got the stain out com'on Lil please? I've been dying all day for something sweet, I'll be your best friend?" I try to bargain with her but she just ignores, hmph.

"The babies don't need ice cream El" Lily whispered and rolled over, falling asleep almost instantly. I settle down on my back Moira curling up by my side (everywhere else would be far too uncomfortable) I am going into my fourth month now and my belly is getting harder to hide, eventually I won't be able to hide it anymore and people will just be able to tell I decide that tomorrow I won't do the disillusionment charm. People will likely be able to put the pieces together, hopefully it won't blow up into to big a scandal (if anyone found out Hugo is the father than it will without a doubt). Hugo, who has done a complete 180 in his behavior to me, between him and Sarah I often feel like I'm slowly suffocating. James has written me a few times, asking how I am, I told him I was planning on keeping my babies and I haven't heard from him since then. I can't shake the feeling that despite how well we would work together, things are too complicated now, and I can't dump this responsibility on him. That still doesn't stop my hormonal body from wanting it anyway.

"Don't let her see it Le- oh hey El." Lily greets me tossing something over her shoulder before I can see what it is. I look at her suspiciously before accepting the goblet of juice to wash down the acrid aftertaste of another bout of morning sickness that hit when we were walking to breakfast.

"Don't let me see what Lil?" I ask suspicious, it has been a few days since I stopped hiding my belly, though I have been given a few odd looks people either don't notice or don't care. After I grabbed some toast and jam a tawny owl recognized d in front of me. Delila (James's owl) ruffled her wings as I stroked them, untying the letter and Prophet she carried. I tuck the letter in my sack and pause at the front page of the prophet. Lily let out a groan that sounded suspiciously like "James." I read through the headlines before I see it.

"Bastard Weasley Grandchild?" I squeak, I would have laughed at how ridiculous the article was if I wasn't so horrified. They used a picture of me from a previous issue. Lily and Leah looked defeated, glaring at the few kids who wouldn't stop staring. The boys weren't saying anything either Kragan threw an arm over my shoulder protectively.

"How did they even find out about that? You don't think someone said anything do you?" Riley asked me, I shrug.

"His parents don't even know yet, oh my god his parents!" I bury my head on my arms, Kragan squeezes my shoulder.

"Don't worry about it kids hardly ever read the paper these days their all to caught up in the magazines and- i'm not helping am I? No, ok." Kragan finished lamely I laughed at his efforts holding my head high again.

"No no your right, hardly any students read the Prophet, I just hope Mr. and Mrs Weasley had some warning before they opened the paper." A loud shouting filled the hall, Hugo got a howler.

"HUGO WEASLEY, HOW DARE YOU NOT TELL YOUR MOTHER! SHE IS HAVING A FIELD DAY!"

"YOU ARE NOT SENDING THAT RON!"

"OH BUGGER OFF HERMIONE!"

The howler ripped itself into pieces after the message had been given and the hall exploded with whispers and a lot of staring.

"Oh good I'm so glad everyone's caught up now." I mutter sarcastically. Leah laughs at the joke and we turn back to our breakfast. The stares don't stop, and I ended up snapping at a fifth year (not one of my better moments). I was all of the sudden an elephant in the room, I hoped in vain it wouldn't work out like this, nothing I can do about it now I guess. Anyway there I was, trying so hard not to be noticed that I had no warning when the goblet of juice dumped over my head. I gasped as the cold liquid spilled everywhere, I whip around and watch homewrecker storm away from me with her wand out.

"Oh for the love of Merlin's pants!" I call after her but she doesn't stop.

"Oi" Lily started to follow her but I grabbed her wrist, the last thing I wanted was for her to fight my battles for me.

"Calm down Lil I'm fine" I vanish the juice and clean out the stains on my robes while Leah works on my hair, Lily sits, seething.

"She can't just get away with that it was completely uncalled for!" Lily rants at me until I gesture to where Professor Longbottom was following my attacker down the hall.

"Fine fine." Lily groaned "cats out of the bag now anyways." I waited for the rest of them to finish their food and follow them out of the hall. I head to the library again, more homework of course, after ten minutes of staring at the roll of blank parchment I gave up and pulled out James's letter instead.

 _Hey Lady, how are you? Stupid question I know, I couldn't think of anything else to start this letter with. Mum caught wind of the big story and has been fuming for hours now. It would be funny if she wasn't so bloody terrifying. I'm not going badger you or anything but I really think we should talk about what went on at the party, I plan on accompanying Fred when he goes to visit the new WWW location during your Hogsmeade weekend and I may or may not be in the Three Broomsticks from 12 to 2 on that Saturday. I know it's all complicated right now but I would like to give this a chance, but if you don't want to don't worry about it._

 _-J_

Oh my god!Is he for real? I have no idea how I'm supposed to deal with that? One of the babies starts to kick again, giving me the distraction I needed from James's letter.

"That's James, babies, we like him, you lot are all lucky you aren't teenagers yet." I whisper to them patting my swollen stomach. A sudden thought occurred to me then, about the homewrecker or Jennifer rather (the nickname was always a little mean for my taste). Who had told the prophet? I know my friends to well to know they would never do something like that so then Hugo? He wouldn't be so stupid, Jennifer however.

I burst into the common room, headed straight for where he was sitting by the fire. I glared at him as he looked up at me and cringed at my approach.

"Why would you tell her that!?" He blanches at the accusation in my tone, de doesn't deny it though.

"I broke things off with her and I thought she deserved an explanation I had no idea she would leak it to the Prophet!" Hugo exclaimed in his defense.

"Why you never gave me one last year when you jumped ship!"

"You think I don't regret that! I'm not perfect El! I made mistakes, you're the one with the chip on your shoulder. I was just trying to make sure I didn't make the same mistake twice." His face flushed, fists curling and uncurling, trying to calm back down. I sighed, backing up trying to slow my pulse.

"Did you apologize to her?" I asked meeting his gaze again, crossing my arms in the usual defensive position. He nods at me, looking serious now.

"Of course."

"You weren't planning on getting back with me are you?" No answer, the blush is back. I titter at him, annoyed.

"You don't just get to decide that Hugo! You are not guilting me into dating you just because I'm your baby mama." He looks guilty now, put out.

"I just think it would be better for everyone if we were together I mean you know all about dysfunctional families I don't want to be like that! We liked each other once I don't see a problem with doing it again."

"Well I do, I stopped loving you a long time ago Hugo, and getting back together with you is not going to help anyone when I don't feel for you that way. I wish you wanting it was enough but it's not. I'm sorry." I take a steadying breath "We don't have to be together to be a good family, I would like to just be friends, if you can't deal with than that's fine you don't have to be involved." I feel awkward now, self aware of just how many people are in the common room with us.

"Can we talk about this later please?" He asks, I can tell he isn't happy with my verdict.

"I have nothing left to say." I say as kindly as I can, he doesn't call me back as I walk up to the dorms.


	11. The One With All the Snow

I wake up to the kicking, I moan rubbing the bump (as if that will make it stop) looking at Leah's watch to check the time. 7 am, sigh.

"You know kids, most people like to sleep in on weekends." I whisper to them, if these kids grow up to be anything like me they would only speak sarcasm. I yawn, deciding there is no way I can sleep anymore now, and pull open the curtains. It's Halloween and snowing! So here's the thing about me and snow, I love it. It's a nostalgia thing, you know the whole white Christmas, some of my best memories are all tied to snow. The first time I stayed at the Potter house, snow, first quidditch game, snow. Now every time it snows I can't help but think I will have a great day. I pull my bathrobe on and watch the small flakes float for a while. And then my feet started throbbing and I remember I shouldn't be standing for this long. I sit back on my bed, moaning at the pressure in my stomach.

"You ok El?" Leah asks from her bed rolling over to look at me, I nod smiling at her.

"It's snowing outside" I tell her and she smiles back at me before rolling over again. I wait until she starts snoring again before I pull out a baby names book and flip through, babies still kicking away. Names are so weird, there is much riding on giving a kid a good name, like with Albus Potter. I don't know what lapse his parents had when they decided to name him that, he used to whine about it all hours of the day. Ingrid and Sarah both come up with new names to run by me on a daily basis, not one of them has sounded like a good name. My mom sent me this name book she found my name in, this is the second time I have read through it and nothing pops out at me! I asked Hugo a few times about the name thing but since I told him to cool it with me he hasn't given me more than a one word response. Molly, no. Carrie, definitely not naming them after a horror character. I liked the name Sarah but given I already know a Sarah that would be to weird. I don't want them to have common names anyways so I start thinking of combos. Aylee? No, too much potential for mispronunciation. What about Sarah and Hanna? Sannah? I kind of like that, I make a mental note to tell Lily about it later.

"What do you think guys? One of you a Sannah?" I ask my belly (obviously not expecting an answer but I read somewhere the babies can hear me). Leah's watch alarm goes off, announcing 9 o'clock. She kicks off her covers, yawning. She looks at me dubiously

"Have you been up this whole time? I swear you don't sleep anymore." I shrug and reply

"Who needs sleep when the kids need names, names I tell you!" I mock scold her, setting the book down on my bed stand. Moira, who had been sleeping on my lap, bats at my hand, demanding my attention. I scoop her up and hold her while Leah works on waking Lily up. Her tail brushed my belly as I set her back down so I could fill her kibble bowl. Lily, it seems, wouldn't get up. I waddled over to her bed knocking on her post with my fist scrounging up my best maid voice.

"Housekeeping" Lily moans and rolls over, I knock again. "Housekeeping?"

"Go away" she mutters, pulling her quiltover her head.

"Housekeeping you want clean towel?"

"No towel want sleep." Lily protested.

"Housekeeping you want mint for pillow?" I dodge out the way as she springs from the bed and storms for the bathroom.

"I am blooming! I need to sleep in!" Slam! Leah and I laugh for almost the entire time she spent sulking in the bathroom.

"Since when has the walk to Hogsmeade taken so long" I complain as we hike our way up the last hill to the village. "At this rate the first baby will be crowning before we get back." Lily rolls her eyes at me ( I may or may not have been whining all day, don't look at me like that I'm pregnant ok).

"Ohh look the Quidditch store! Let's go Le!" Kragan squeals like a pig and tows Leah behind him, who very slyly shoots me a sappy smile (I may or may not have hinted to one Kragan that she would like new gloves) I wave her on and continue my slow progress to the Three Broomsticks.

"I can't believe you are actually indulging us this time." Lily states, "Jalide is now officially a go!" She crows, joined by the rest of our mates (no dates for any of them this time, I think they just wanted to spy on mine).

"Don't get your hopes up you lot we haven't even gone on a date yet, maybe it's super awkward and the press show up, or he turns out to be an axe murderer." I point out, laughing at the collective eye roll they give me.

"Oh please you know James well enough to know he's not an axe murderer." Riley reminds me fixing his hat so it covers his ears. He loops his arm through mine, tugging me into the pub, with the others filing in behind us. There are two booths in the the three broomsticks one is occupied by James, the other one right next to it is occupied by a bunch of giggling forth years. My mates go to sit at a table nearby and I join James at the booth, he smiles at me, moving over so I can sit at the end.

"They go everywhere with you don't they?" James asked glancing at Marley who was carrying many Butterbeers back to their table.

"Hark who's talking" I tease him glancing behind me, making the girls laugh harder. James blushes at that.

"I don't know them." He mutters, running a hand through his messy hair.

"Oh but they clearly know you" I tease him some more before I got annoyed at all the laughing. "Oi, you lot take a picture it lasts longer." All three girls looked surprised at me (as if they were being so discreet) they return their empty glasses to the bar and exiting the pub. James applauds me for this and I respond with a fake (semi) bow.

"Thanks for that I'll be here all week." I say shifting in my seat to get comfortable (a hard feat these days) "so how's the shop doing? Have you seen it yet?" I ask, I have been to the store in Diagon Alley many times before but haven't seen what the new one is like as it is still very new.

"I haven't been in to see it yet I was hoping you might want to join me later? It will be less crowded once all of the younger students get bored of the village. Molly's working today so we can probably stop and say hi to." He is rambling now, its cute.

"I suppose it's a good thing i'm in a joking mood then, reckon you need that before entering the Joke store?"I ask teasing him again.

"Well you either bring that or a Prank me sign stuck to your back, seeing as Fred so sneakily stuck one on me you should bring the mood to ensure maximum hilarity." I laugh at that, humor is a pro for him. Madame Rosmerta called out to James and he left to collect our drinks. He handed me the glass of pumpkin juice and nursed his Firewhisky. I glanced towards my friends and they all gave me thumbs up, dorks (lovable dorks, but still). We talked about school and Quidditch, taking a break every now and then so I could use the loo (my bladder hold nothing these days). When our drinks where gone he lead me out to walk around a little, he didn't complain at my slow pace (though I certainly did). He kept telling me about all of his teammates, his coach (funny middle-aged man named Wood), and things here and there about his family. We talked about Louis new club in London, and Molly's flat above the shop with Liza.

"Did I tell you they are getting engaged?" He asked as walked into Honeydukes, I pull him to a stop, aghast.

"They're what!?" I ask him, excitement seeping through (I love weddings and have shipped the pair of them so hard!).

"Well yeah I mean Molly is going to ask Liza on their date tomorrow but I'm pretty sure she'll say yes." We stop to look through a stand of chocolate bars in varying flavours.

"That's great James, really, I swear no one throws a wedding better than one of the Weasley's." He nods in agreement, picking out a bar I was looking at and slipping it into his basket, ignoring my protests.

"You have cravings now right? You won't have work so hard if you have a stash in your room." He responds. I feel my smile freeze at that, this is the first time my pregnancy was brought up, it's a little weird.

"Leah wouldn't let me eat this anyway, she is like the health Nazi, everything I eat has to go through her." I joke, hoping to breeze past this topic and on to the next one. I grab a package of Bertie Botts every flavor beans for Nolan's birthday in a few days and move to stand in line to check out.

"Funny I didn't make Mccoy out to be a tyrant." I smile at him,

"There's a lot people don't know about Leah, she doesn't tend to be very open with you until she is pushed to, I didn't find out she lives in Ireland until our third year." I tell him and he snaps his fingers in a way that said drat!

"I suppose she's a big Ireland fan then, no love for Puddlemere?"

"None I'm afraid." I pat his back " I'm still a fan though." He chuckles then, placing our items on the checkout counter with a few sickles to pay for the lot.

"Yeah I saw the poster, did Lily even consider putting hers up or did it just go right to the bin?" I give him an apologetic look.

"You don't really want to know what she did to it."

"Was it that bad?"

"Worse, there was a funeral." He rolls his eyes at me then, finally catching on, I thank the lady behind the counter when I notice where she's looking. I am wearing a jumper that fits snug across my belly and I guess it's more noticeable than I thought. Blushing and turning away, I grab my bag and bustle out into the brisk evening. James doesn't mention what happened and I'm grateful, instead whisking me over to the new Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. I look through all the new merchandise while James tracks down Molly and Fred, I spot Kragan and Leah in a corner looking at the fake wands, I smile and wave at them before James gets my attention again. Molly, sporting the magenta robes that is her work uniform, and Fred wearing the same color tux. Molly pulls me into a hug and starts asking me all about the pregnancy I answer her while simultaneously trying to ignore that James was listening. Fred would wander off to help a customer and then make his way back again. Since Fred James and Molly were all in the same year at Hogwarts they were all a lot closer with each other than with me, I listened to their stories about their greater stunts they got away with at school until Leah and Kragan remind me of the time. We said goodbye to Fred and Molly and started back up to the school. James walked with me for part of the way until we reached the place he was staying at. He turned to face my and I tugged his coat he had given me earlier tighter around my shoulders.

"Did you have a good time?" he asks, anxious, his hand tightening over mine.

"I did" I answered him coyly, smirking at him. I made to give him his coat back but he shakes head.

"Keep it your cold and it adds incentive."

"Incentive for what Mr. Potter?" I ask, cheeky now.

"A second date?" He runs a hand through his hair again, brushing the snowflakes away.

"We'll see" I murmur and rejoin Kragan and Leah as they trek through the few inches of snow that have gathered on the ground since it started this morning. "Snow is a wonderful thing mates." I exclaim to them, once we are far enough out of earshot, I loop my arms through theirs and march the rest of the way back to school.


	12. The One With the Apprentices

"It still blows my mind that you both are going to be apprentice healers, that's so cool!" Leah exclaims at dinner after Kragan and Riley showed off their acceptance letters signed by Madame Bones.

"I don't know how glamorous it will be it seems like we may be babysitting until she has time to show us more advanced things." Kragan replied nonchalantly, making a face at me.

"Well we can all go to you to change the diapers then Kray." I tease, dodging the crumpled up napkin he tossed at me."

"Well at least you both know you got in, Professor Grubbly-Plank still hasn't responded to my letter." I sent a request to become a TA for the third year class next year, I have been on edge since then, it is usually hard to convince a professor to take on a TA here.

"Oh don't get your knickers in a twist El, everyone knows your the best in that class your going to get it, appeal to Longbottom if she doesn't and you can work something else out like er..a summer project." Leah assures me before returning to Kragan's letter. The two of them hit it off after their little date on Halloween (called it) and have turned into the couple that does everything together (including obsessing over me and James). We are allowed to visit Hogsmeade every three weeks if we want so James and I will see each other again then (I'm bringing him to see a muggle movie at a local theatre) till then we write, a lot. He asks about little things that have to do with the pregnancy but we still haven't been able to talk about it all. Candid details about our first date made their way into a few tabloids, but this didn't bother me as much after the big blow out over the baby daddy. Hugo seems to have gotten over the tiff we had a few weeks ago and gave me a few baby names to consider. He seems to be handling my dating his cousin fairly well (much to my surprise, Lily probably threatened him or something) and as the weeks went by the belly grew (so much). School work takes up a lot of my time now (along with the assisting at quidditch practises until Leah forbade me to go anymore when the weather got colder). I haven't seen to much of Ingrid, Sarah, and Marley apart from in lessons and when we meet in the Room of Requirement. Everyone is studying for midterms but it is slightly less stressful than our fifth year was.

"So," Lily starts turning to me "we have set a date for the baby shower December 23!" I raise my eyes at her.

"That's great Lil but everyone will be at home for Christmas break, I know Ingrid and Sarah are going to want to be there." I remind her, she waves me off before responding.

"I asked your mum if we could stay at your house for the first few days of the break, there's going to be a party and so far everyone I've invited have marked it down and will be there!"

"You really went overboard with this Lil" She frowns at my lack of over enthusiasm.

"Don't be a party pooper"

"What will the boys be doing? Baby showers are usually women only right? You gonna kick them out for the day?" I inquire, smirking at the image that brought to my head.

"Marley's parents got them tickets to a tornados game on that day, they'll be fine." I nod feeling excited now by the news.

"Of course we need to survive the rest of the term first." Leah reminds us, she was sporting a nasty injury from the devil snare they've been working with in Herbology.

"Amen to that sister." Riley agreed (he had a scare with a unicorn earlier, it was hilarious). "If I have to look at one more unicorn I'm going to sink into my own grave." I roll my eyes at his dramatic tone.

"I did warn you what would happen if you got to close."I remind him, getting an unamused look in return.

"It's not all bad, we get to learn the Patronus charm tomorrow." I point out, though I learned how to do it over one of my free periods (my form is a Unicorn though no one else knows that yet).

"I hope I don't get something lame like a frog." Kragan admitted, giving a little shudder.

"Oh come on Kray, frogs are cool and green, not to mention the croaking, I hear frogs are all the rage now." Lily teased him laughing when I started rhibbeting.

"Ha ha you two, but really, any bets on your corporeal forms?" I shake my head as they all jump in (with rather ridiculous predictions I might add).

"I quit gambling with you lot cold turkey, I'm not about to give up now." I say bluntly when Riley asked me. Two of the babies kicked me then, making me gasp bringing the attention back to me and then the arguing started.

"Lily back off you got to feel last time." Riley, who forced his way in between Lily and me feeling around for the kick, was grinning at me. Leah, who was on my other side won the second spot, Kragan giving up right away.

"Yes by all means help yourselves" I say with a straight face, resigned though, they love doing this. Hugo glanced over from Kragan's other side grinning at my mates who were all sporting goofy grins.

"It's going to be weird when you don't have that belly anymore." Lily added, sulking at Riley.

"Yeah this thing helps with the crowds a lot." I mused gently moving my friends hands when the kicking subsided. "I'm not a big fan of having my own zip code, though." pulling my cloak around me again.

"Oh I think it's more of a planet El, with countries and everything." Kragan teased, earning a swat to the head from Leah.

"What I'm only joking Le" he grumbled. She rolled her eyes stabbing a piece of beef with her fork and stuffing it into her mouth.

"Don't worry about it Kray, I am huge." I counsel him before asking Lily about the transfiguration essay that we handed in today.

"I think I did fine but I may have gotten some of the theory wrong so I don't know what my grade will be, honestly" she replied, swinging her hair over her shoulder. Someone bumps into me on their way out of the hall. I catch the irritated look Jennifer gives me as she snaps-

"Watch it!" I ignore her instead of reacting, holding my hand out like I was going for a high five

"Sorry about that Jen." I apologize, laughing it off. "Well I'm stuffed, I need to return some books to the library before it closes, see you lot later." I promised, waddling out of the hall.

"So what did you think of the show?" I asked James, sneaking some popcorn from his bag as we walk towards Hogsmeade.

"I think Mr. Darcy is an ass and Elizabeth could have done much better." James mused, linking his hand wiht mine. I laugh moving a little closer as we walked.

"You'd be surprised how many girls think your wrong about him."

"You one of them?"

"Would that be the line in this relationship" I asked him raising my eyebrows.

"Definitely"

"Good thing I'm not then."

"I knew there was a reason I liked you." He exclaimed, handing me the popcorn bag. We reached the inn where he booked a room for the night, I glanced at my watch.

"We still have a few hours"I tell him, and he waggled his eyebrows at me and I smacked his arm. "Honestly" I chided him before I walked up the stairs to his room.

"So…" he starts, throwing a quilt over my legs before joining me on the couch.

"So...what?" I asked, rubbing the soreness from my feet.

"Where do I fit in all of that?" He points to my belly. I meet his brown eyes with my blue ones. Mulling it over, searching for the right words.

"Hugo and I have agreed that the kids will live with me and he would visit on the weekends, once we are out of school, you don't have to play the father figure if you don't want to." I reassure him, He nods at this, wrapping an arm around my shoulder pulling me closer to him. I rest my head on his shoulder.

"Probably best I don't make things too complicated, I'll be the cool uncle Jamie or their mums special friend." I snort at that.

"My kids aren't even born yet and already you scheme to scar them for life." I protest, meekly lifting my head so I can see his face. He has this calm look on his face and leans in, I meet his lips with mine.

"Don't look at me like that Lily, it was only a kiss" I explain for the third time, ignoring the smacking noises they make at me in response. "Why am I friends with you lot again?" I wonder and Leah hugs me from behind.

"Oh you know you love us." She chortled.

"Oh that's right" I stated, still on a high from my date with James that ended a few hours ago. "Well it's late ladies I am going to bed." I announced, pulling on my Pj's and snuggling under the covers pulling the hangings shut around my bed. Moira curled up by my side in her usual sleeping spot, and even though I wanted to, I didn't fall asleep for hours afterwards.


	13. The One With the Parents

The train ratlles, jolting me again and I point at Hugo.

"You did this to me you jerk" the guy has the sense to wince, looking guiltily at me. I started having braxton hicks contractions two days before we were dismissed for Christmas break. While Madame Bones assures me that they will pass, I am extremely uncomfortable. We are back in our usual compartment ( Hugo as well) about half way through the journey back to London. Marley, Ingrid and Lily are playing exploding snap, everyone else watching. Hugo, who sits next to me, constantly trying to to distract me from my own discomfort. Other than pregnancy, I was actually having a great time with all of my friends all together in one place for the first time in almost a month (school got really busy). I got word back from Grubbly-Plank and though she did not want a TA I would be working with her for a few weeks over the summer to get some extra experience. "Oh Lily don't pick that one-" Bang! The deck tower exploded, covering Lily in soot. "Nevermind" I took back, reaching over to shake some of the soot that had tangled in her hair.

"How do I keep losing at this game!" Lily whined, Ingrid (who is seventeen, birthday last week) cleaned the soot off with a wave of her wand. "I win all the time at home." I snort at that, yes Lily wins all the time when playing with her family, only because her brothers are to scared of her temper to really try. I groan at the sudden pressure at my side and Moira, my sweet cat, paces on the floor in front of me. Ralph and Mordred the Mutt are sleeping in their cages the only safe place to get away from all the banging.

"Another round then?" Marley asks, shuffling the deck. Lily shakes her head and moves to reclaim her seat next to me, Moira jumping into her lap.

"I can only take so many losses in a row." Lily replied, she lost 7 in case you were wondering. Marley shrugged and pulled out a book, lost in the story immediately. Ingrid turned around so she was facing me.

"So you going to the engagement party with James then?" Ingrid inquires, giving me a suggestive look. I nod, I received an invite via owl from Molly, it would be a small thing, family only and a plus one.

"I feel awkward just leaving you lot to go to the party though, I'm supposed to be hosting you at my house, even if it is a required thing." I explain, Ingrid just shakes her head and Leah rolls her eyes at me.

"I think we can manage one evening on our own, probably wander Diagon Alley or something, and anyway you have to meet the Potters for the first time, it's a big step El." Ingrid countered, that confused me.

"I have already met Mr. and Mrs. Potter, how is that a big step?"

"Not since you've started dating Jamesy boy." Kragan explained "you are now the girlfriend."

"And you'll be seeing mine as well since, you know." Hugo added, Ron and Hermione Weasley haven't seen me pregnant yet. Nerves kick up then when I remember the howler Hugo got from his dad.

"Are they ok with this" I ask him, resting my hands on my belly, anxious. Hugo nodded,

"Yeah my dad just gets weird over things, mum assures me he'll be on his best behavior though." I nod, relaxing again, wincing as the train rattles again. The conversation sort of tapered off after that, I dozed off for the rest of the ride home.

I carry Moira in her carrier ( only thing Hugo would let me carry ) her soft snores are lost in all the noise of the platform. Mum finds us out of the crowd, herding us all out to the taxi van. Since we can't use magic around the muggle driver, we all cram in as best as we can, it takes around 20 minutes to get to the summer house. Dad is still at work and likely to stay at the flat for most of the break, Nolan is here though. He put his book down and I introduced him to my mates (he's met all of them before but I doubt he actually remembers). We have a guest room but my mates rarely use it, preferring the basement that has more space. Ingrid and Sarah get busy summoning cotts for everyone, and everyone else tucks their trunks away.I switch on the radio for some background noise, and plop down on one of the armchairs. Hugo took the floo back to his place just after we got home, reminding me to send an owl for anything. Ingrid and Sarah, Lily and Leah decided they would go shopping for the baby shower (wouldn't let me come) so now it's just Kragan, Marley, Riley and me. We started a really intense gobstone tournament that was still going strong by the time the other girls returned carrying a lot of bags that Milly hid away.

"I got winner" Sarah announced as she watched the match between Kragan and Riley (Kragan was loosing). Lily presented my with a dress she had gotten for me to wear for the engagement party.

"We would make a few adjustments of course, not that it needs too much, I got it in the maternity section." The gown is floor length silvery color that would make my eyes look lighter then they are.

"No straps?" I ask, I've never been able to wear a strapless before, I suppose now that my chest has nearly doubled in size, I can actually hold it up.

"Try it on so I can see where I need to make adjustments El!" Lily sang, bustling me into the bathroom. She helped me put it on and forced me to go show everyone else, I did a few twirls and let Lily mark up the hem. "All finished." Lily announced, sticking the last needle in its place, marching me back into the bathroom to help me take it off.

"Thanks for this Lily" I mutter, putting my street clothes back on. She waves me off

"It's not a big deal, your Christmas present." I laugh at her misunderstanding.

"Not just for the dress Lil, thanks for being so..gung ho about this whole drama, I'm glad your my best mate." She smiles at me.

"Yes well I tried returning you thirty days after I made my purchase but the store said they had a no return policy for best mates so I guess you are just stuck with me." She explained, laughing with me. I heard the bell ring, announcing dinner, and I followed my mates up the stairs to the dining room. A steaming shepards pie waited for us, filling the room with its herby smell. Mum grabbed a plate, sitting at the head of the table, where dad would have sat. I try not to dwell on that too much as I grab a plate for myself, thanking Milly for dinner.

…...

"El, James is here!" My mum calls downstairs just as I put my stud earrings in.

"Ok thanks mum." I return, Leah setting the makeup with powder and handing me a clutch bag. I have been getting ready for the last two hours, with the girls help, the boys occasionally giving me their two cents (we ignore them). Lily is already upstairs, wearing a new lilac dress and heels (tried to get me to wear heels too, but the fact that I'm 7 months pregnant shot that idea down). My usually curly hair now hangs straight down my back pushed back by a few silver combs my mum lent me. Leah gives me a final once over before giving me a thumbs up, wishing me good luck.

James is waiting by the front doors with Lily, Wearing a silver pant suit matching the color of my gown. I grin at his reaction (his eyes are popping).

"Wow El you look.." He struggles to find the words.

"Beautiful" Lily answered for him. I blush at that, giving mum a quick hug before going through the floo system and arriving at the Burrow. Most of the guests had already arrived and settled in the kitchen and living room. We got a few waves in greeting (I got a lot of double takes) Molly Weasley (senior) pulled up a chair and insisted I sit down.

"It is never fun to take the floo when your that pregnant, believe me." She then scowled at James, as if he should have thought of that. Liza came over to thank me for coming, and I gave my congratulations and asked her how the wedding planning is going.

"Slowly, my mum has a lot of ideas, she hasn't insisted on them yet but it's only a matter of time." She deflates a little before saying goodbye to mingle again. Hugo finds me then and just sort of hovers by me for a while, with him on one side and James on the other, it was a little awkward. Fred calls James over to show him something.

"You ok for a while?" He asks, I roll my eyes and send him on his way. I spot Hermione then and waddle over, Hugo close behind me.

"Hello Elide, how are you feeling?" Hermione's bushy brown hair, now with a little gray, poofed out by her shoulders. She smiles a sad smile, acknowledging the mistake that landed me in this state, she doesn't seem to think it would do any good to admonish me now. I return the smile rubbing my back, aching from all the extra weight.

"I've been better." I tell her, chuckleing " the train took a lot out of me." She nods, laying a hand on my knee.

"Pregnancy is hard enough with one baby, you have three, I had to go on bed rest for the last month when I was carrying Hugo." She smiles again when Hugo starts to protest. "I hear you have a plan worked out?" She asks, glancing between me and her son. Ron spots us and makes his way over just I start explaining what we had worked out for us.

"Well the babies will be sleeping in my dorm for the rest of this year, we have more room in there, and Madame Bones has agreed to watch them when Hugo and I have classes. It will be hard, as everyone tells me, but it's the best we could figure with keeping me and him in school until we're done." She nods, giving Hugo a suspicious look.

"Have you looked over the books I sent you?" She asks her son, just as Ron takes a seat beside his wife.

Hugo looks annoyed at this "yes mum" he turns to me then with a look that clearly said mothers am I right? Ron intercedes Hermione, looking bemused.

"Cut him some slack Hermione, he is on holiday." She gives him a no nonsense look.

"Ron he's going to be a father soon he needs to accept the responsibility of being prepared! He made his bed." She finished, I nod (sucking up is never a bad thing).

"I couldn't agree more. Hugo is actually very adaptable, though, very supportive." I add, smirking at him, he sticks his tongue out at me.

"Well it's just too bad, you got the short end of the stick, school isn't the right environment for raising kids. How much good can books do really? I can't help but think adoption might have been better for them." Ron continued, his tone straining, like he was trying not to be judgmental, I don't like the way he said that. I shifted, uncomfortable again, I feel Hugo's hand tighten a little from where it rests on my shoulder.

"Well it's a good thing that isn't your decision then, Ronald." Hermione reminds him, trying to redirect him.

"Oh come on you can't tell me you like them becoming parents at such a young age!" Ron's voice keeps getting louder, face red. "You are just as disappointed with them as I am!" People are starting to notice now, I stare at the floor to avoid the curious looks.

"Of course i'm not! But I don't have a right to tell them what to do, and neither do you Ron!" I mutter something about going to the bathroom that I don't think anyone heard, Hugo lets me go staring, shell shocked at his parents. Of course James sees me then, I don't know what he has heard but I don't stop, I just want to get out of this cramped house. I burst through the backdoor to the garden, Victorie and Teddy are out walking in the distance. I move to join Al, Scorpius, and Rose at the picnic table. They don't say anything, did everyone hear then? I shiver and the tears I can never seem to stop from flowing anymore leave tracks on my face (thank goodness for the waterproof makeup). James comes to sit beside me, putting his jacket around my shoulders.

"Uncle Ron has his tantrums like the rest of us, El, don't let it bother you." Al advised me, Rose and Scorpius nodding in unison. James doesn't say anything, he knows I don't want to hear it. He links his hand in mine, the other around my waist. Rose pushes the jar she had filled with blue flames closer to me and I let it's warmth calm me down.

"These parties you lot throw," Scorpius clucked "not a real Weasley gathering until someone fights over something with somebody else." Rose punches his shoulder, but I give him a weak smile in thanks.

"It's all a part of our charm" Al added sarcastically "mind your face, it may freeze like that" he advised Rose, who had scowled as Al was out punching range. We stayed outside for a while after that a few people coming and going, some chatting with James and me, all apologizing for Ron.

"I'm ok really Molly, I'm going to be just fine."I insisted when Molly had come searching for me towards the end of the party.

"Aunt Hermione had it out with him you know, now he's just sulking in his old room the old wanker."

"The last thing I wanted was to make trouble with him, I have enough of that form my own dad." I explain, my father still hasn't reached out to me after all these months. Him and mum have been fighting about it, Nolan thinks they might separate. "I would hate to split up one of the most famous couples in Britain." James let out a laugh at that.

"My aunt and uncle have been fighting since they were kids, they'll pout a bit and eventually get over it, how it's always been with them." Molly assures me before she is pulled away by a very irritated Liza (something about Liza's mum). I let out a yawn, wearing down from the long day. James studies me as he helps me up and we make our way back inside.

"I think we've stayed long enough, don't you?" James asks, I nod in agreement, looking for Molly and Liza again so I can say goodbye. James sees what I'm doing and calls over to Fred who is nearby.

"We're leaving mate can you let Molls know?" Fred nods, waving in farewell. We leave through the floo system again, the quiet hum of merriment the last thing I hear before I am back in my living room. Milly appears in the next second, snapping her fingers and vanishing the soot, doing the same for James when he pops in behind me. I give him a peck on the lips before he disapparates back to his flat. Lily is still at the party, probably will be for a while seeing as it is only 8. I make my way to my room instead of the basement, needing to be alone for the night. I heard footsteps in the hall, but no knock on the door, that would be mum. My friends know to let me be alone when I go out of my way to do so. I fall asleep not long after the footsteps wander away.


	14. The One With the Baby Shower

Leah bursts in to my room at 7 am (grrr). She sets a tray with toast and fruit on my bedside table, twittering away.

"So we have the whole afternoon planned out for the shower decorations are already up the guests will be here in a few hours and guaranteed fun will ensue!" She finished searching through my nearly empty closet and dresser (apparently where they hid some of the supplies for the games).

"Leah if the shower doesn't start for several hours why did you wake me up?" Leah looks at me sternly.

"You have been sulking long enough El and it is the start to a new day." She explains setting down a pair of (very) stretchy jeans and a jumper on the bed. "These are Lily approved now eat then come down when you're finished." I sigh as she flits from the room again, taking a bite of the toast, babies kicking away. I pant my way through a particularly brutal round of contractions as I pull the jeans and sweater over my much heavier body. The stretch charm placed on the outfit is magnificent! No uncomfortable pressure on my hips or other areas, they went all out for this.

No one asks me about last night (anyone who is awake anyway, the boys are still sleeping, lucky). Lily probably clued them in on the jist of what happened, goodness knows I wouldn't have been able to. Here's to hoping the events of last nights party don't make this one super awkward. My mum pulls me aside to answer a few questions for one of the guessing games they plan on doing. I snort at the name bet board my friends made (they might be developing problem) minimum bet is a sickle. When I have answered all the questions I made my way to the diaper deco station, Some diapers had already been finished and set out on display, probably to inspire others.

"Make it red" I delegate the diaper which turns a cherry red color via a charm. I set that aside in a basket and make a few dozen in every color I can think of, this might get me through a week if I'm lucky. When I get bored of that I wander around the house, looking at the girls handy work. I look at a display that has three nappies (two purple and one green I'm not a fan of gender stereotypes). My friends and mum have all signed their names and left cute little messages on them. The cupcake stand holds a design of a baby pacifier, but the frosting keeps flashing in different colors, giving it a very psychedelic look. I rest my arms around my belly, living in the moment, waving goodbye to the boys as they leave for the quidditch match. Lily leads me over to a highly decked out armchair with a sign that reads "Baby Mama" on it. The guests started arriving then, Leah greeting everyone and herding them all into the sitting room. In the end there are about ten guests (not counting the ones who were already here). Chairs have been arranged in a circle with me at the head. Lily announced that they all leave their gifts by me. When I asked her way she decided presents should be done first.

"No one wants to wait for their presents El!" She reasoned, as she pushed the biggest one, from Hermione, towards me.

"Oh wow!" I gushed at the tram (black in color) with three seats. I beam at Hermione in thanks and she gives me a sheepish smile back. The rest of the gifts all ranged from baby toys and necessities (the music box from Ingrid and Sarah among my favorites). When the last gift was opened Milly sent them all up to my room to make space for the activities the girls had planned. I for the most part chatted with the partiers (Hermione and Ginny were frequent visitors) Fleur, Victorie, and Dom where getting a kick out of the name bet board. Roxanne was loading the basket full with neatly decorated diapers, until there were none left. I examined the name board myself, surprised to see someone had guessed one of the names I was sure of (I had only told my names to my mum, who is not allowed to bet). For the most part yesterday's fall out had been forgiven and forgotten, and I just had fun.

Towards the end of the party Lily read off the names that were betted on (both first and middle names) in the end one middle and first name was guessed correctly. Dom and Ginny took home the two massive bars of Honeydukes chocolate as prizes. Ginny had guessed Rose as a middle name, Roxanne had guessed Peyton as a first name.

"What are the rest of the names?" Hermione asked, I hesitated before the my good mood pushed me to answer.

"Freya Lily, Bryony Rose, Peyton Ames." I tell them smiling when Leah cooed in the back. Lily and Rose both look like they're going into shock, so I give them hugs. "I wanted their aunts and uncles to be represented." I explain, tearing slightly at the release of one of the biggest secrets I had kept from my best mate. The guests had all collected their prizes and said their goodbyes, Hermione and Ginny remained behind to help me organized the baby supplies that had ended up all over the place.

"You ready for them then?" Ginny asks as she hands me a folded up baby blanket.

I shrug "I don't think I will ever be fully ready, no but I can only do my best." I answer packing the blanket in a pack that I will bring with me to Hogwarts after the holidays have finished.

"That's all anyone should expect from you, anyone who says otherwise doesn't deserve to have you in their life." Like my dad, I don't say it but I think Ginny knows who I am thinking of."I know the press have been buzzing about you mum and dad, but I want you to know that whatever the problem is between them, it has nothing to do with you." Ginny continues, folding up another blanket. A flutter of kicks, as if the babies agree with her.

I nod at her "I'll keep that in mind."

"And one more thing" She finishes, holding the last blanket out to me, "my brother means well, he was just born with dolt-like qualities." She swept from the room, smirking, I can't help but marvel at the inner-workings of this family.

I wave at Riley, the last of my friends to leave for the rest of the break, and settle down in the sitting room, pulling out my copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I mark the pages that hold info on creatures I have learned about so far in my years at Hogwarts, trying to generate ideas for my project I will be doing this summer. I know I am good with words on paper, from the feedback I receive from my assignments, maybe a thesis would be prudent for the future. Maybe an updated version of the beloved text wouldn't be such a bad idea, given that there have been new discoveries and cross-breedings since this book was written. I pause when yet another contraction starts, they keep getting stronger and more frequent even though I have a month or so before labor might happen. An insistent hoot from the nearby window draws my attention to Delila, a letter tied to her leg. I waddle over and open the window, shivering at the frigid air that seeps inside. The letter from James is brief and sweet, he won't be home again until tomorrow night ( Christmas eve ) for some publicity stunt he needs to attend. I give Delila an owl treat and watch as she flies off, soaring high into the darkening sky.


	15. The One With Christmas Eve

Mmmm mornings are glorious. Until the internal alarm of baby kicking goes off, ugh. Since I can't fall back asleep, I draw a bath. Here's the thing about me, I love baths. And with all of the stress of my life right now, it can only help. I look out the window of the bathroom and gasp at the snowfall. Just past 9 am on Christmas eve and it's snowing, a white christmas.

"Morning Noly!" I sing down the stairs to where Nolan is sitting in the living room. He looks up from the book he was reading (he never runs out does he?). He nods at me while I waddle down stairs and into the kitchen, he follows behind closing his book. "I can't believe it is Christmas already! We have so much to do, make the cookies and cider, popcorn on a string for the tree, oh for goodness sake Nolan!" My brother had the nerve to continue staring at my belly. "I'm pregnant not a snow globe!" Nolan blushes at that, pulling out some baking sheets.

"I know your not a snowglobe El." He tells me, pulling the list of cookies we make every year for our friends and family. "I think we can skip the oatmeal and raisin cookies this year, not a lot of people requested them this year. I nod, scooping ingredients for chocolate chip cookies into a mixing bowl. "I'm ok with it you know." Nolan's voice is barely above a whisper, I meet his blue eyes and smile. "I know dad isn't, probably won't be for a long time, but that is his problem to deal with not yours." He continues, mixing the ingredients together. "This one is all ready, don't go near the stove you may burst." I laugh at that before starting on the next batch. The doorbell rings out through the house, Milly answers the door, leading Lily into the kitchen, with a list of orders from various cookie lovers in her family.

"What is it with Dom and rocky road? Three dozen? She is absolutely crazy." I ask Lily as she reads out the orders, hopping onto the counter to watch (she is not good at baking).

"Hey come on El your rocky road cookies are heaven in a bite, and Dom looks forward to these cookies every year, but yeah three dozen is a lot." Lily laughs at Nolan when he spots the list.

"What do you people do tell everyone you know about this? We are supposed to be doing this for fun, at this point we may as well put a price on the cookies!" Nolan sputters, mixing with a resurged vigor. Eyes rolling I put Lily to work with mixing and I start spacing dough on the sheets.

"Oh come on Noly it's still fun and this way we don't get bored while we wait for the festivities." I remind him, he lets out a snort.

"I could be reading instead you know." He informs me, setting the timer on the oven.

"Books can't give you everything Nolan, what we make here" I pass a bowl of dough to him "memories, Nolan we are making memories." Lily smirks at him before swiping some dough and popping it into her mouth.

"Listen to the wise mother, she knows all." She exclaims, laughing when I shew her away from the counter. I can't help but join in when Nolan starts laughing. We spend all afternoon like this, mum comes down to help, the hours in the warm kitchen passing with more and more cookies. Four o'clock rolls around and we finally finish wrapping the last of the cookies.

"We could really do this you know?" Lily speculates as she drops Al's order of snickerdoodles into a gift bag.

"Do what Lil?" I ask ask from my chair (Lily made me sit about an hour ago after I admitted to being tired). She gives me a thoughtful look before setting to work, braiding my hair.

"Start like a bakery or whatever, if the zoology thing doesn't work out, I mean we already know people really like your cookies. I could handle the customers and business." I shrug at that, It would be a good idea, maybe something to think about.

"I guess I would have to think about it Lil, but it could be a nice thing to do, later in life." Nolan, lost in yet another book, has not been seen since the last batch was finished snorts from the living room.

"Find someone else to listen in on Nolan" I call to him, laughing when I hear a thump. I feel the babies kicking again as Lily ties the braid and helps me up.

"So I am to extend an invitation for you to join my family for christmas dinner, just the Potter's tonight, no temperamental uncles and a lot of James." I roll my eyes at her.

"Enough Lil you've won your brother and I are in a relationship you don't need to use him to get me to go along, I love your family." Maybe even a little to much, given the current situation. She looks sheepish at that, fluffing her messy hair up.

"Well anyway we didn't know if you wanted your family to come or not.." Lily faded out glancing at where my mum had exited to upstairs. I shake my head at her quickly.

"My mum and brother are spending christmas eve with her mum and dad and my father is, well I don't exactly know what he is doing." Family drama, it's the best.

"Well now that it's settled we should get going, the muggle cab is on the way and we need to get out of these clothes that smell like cookies." Lily wrinkles her nose and leads the way upstairs.

"I am not wearing a dress Lily I would be to uncomfortable, and besides you and your family are always casual with christmas." I instead put on a big jumper that may or may not have been James's. Lily rolls her eyes but doesn't protest as she dons her leather coat, grabbing one of the cookie bags.

"Fine no dress then, fun sucker." I slap her shoulder playfully at that rolling my eyes and grabbing the last bag of cookies (Ginny loves sugar cookies!).

"Isn't that what mothers are supposed to do? Suck the fun out of everything, just trying to get a head start." I reason, settling into the cab, greeting the driver and giving him the address to the Potter house.

"Oh my goodness Lil it's perfect! I can't believe you found it." I exclaim after opening Lilys gift to me. Let me explain that this particular journal was something I had spotted one time in Flourish and Blotts a few years ago, by the time I went back for it, they were out of stock. I wanted the manuscript to my summer research to be in something meaningful to me. The leather binding, colored blue had a weathered feel to it, not too big or small, charmed to wipe itself blank to anyone else. James reaches over and plucks the book from my hands, studying it while Lily opens her gift from me. A sketch pad (Lily has a lot of design ideas and her old one ran out). Lily, in classic Lily fashion, starts sketching immediately. Al smirks at his sister shifting into a pose that most people would have thought to be scandalous.

"Go on Lily sketch me like one of your french girls!" Al teased Lily laughed, tossing a pillow at his head.

"Just how many times have you watched Titanic now? Seven? Eight?" I asked arching a pale brow. Al looked afronted at my accusation.

"Jack and Rose were made for each other, one can't watch their story to many times, not possible." Al explained, blushing when everyone else starts to laugh.

"Brother you do know they aren't real right? Just actors" James reasoned, smirking and sipping at his cup of eggnog (gag). Al glares at his brother, but lets it go when Ginny handed Al his next present. I nod and smile, ohh and ahh, for the rest of the presents. James holds my attention however, when he winds his hand in mine. His hand, much bigger than mine, and oddly tan despite it being the middle of winter. His thumb traces circles along the back of my hand, his chest slowly rising and falling as the evening winds down. My free hand moves to rest on my belly when I feel it, a pop and I feel like I'm peeing. I gasp and my hand squeezes James's, and then the first contraction pulses down. I can hear a pin drop in the room I know I must have looked panicked when I meet his eyes.

"Thundercats are a go." I announce, breathing deep as the contraction eases. The room explodes into motion.

"Harry sweetie, go owl the Ron and Hermione tell him to meet us at the hospital I will owl El's mum." Ginny called over her shoulder as she vanished from the room. James and Lily herded me into the entryway, both feeding into each others panic.

"Ok so you had your first contraction now we need to count it out ok? Breathe babe just breathe." James is talking a mile a minute, Lily isn't any better.

"Oh my God the babies are coming so early wow ok, everyone needs to know! Leah wanted to be here for the births I have to owl her! What do you need? Chocolate? Your pillow? I'll just nip some chocolate you know you're going to want chocolate." I laugh at her harried mood and Al enters handing us our coats.

"Oi Al what's up with the fire?" I ask, smirking despite the pain. Al shrugs, smirking back.

"Who knows, I heard some chick went into labour, not to fussed about it honestly." Al jokes looking around outside for the cab Harry called (apparating is not recommended for any pregnant woman.) I moan as another contraction starts.

"Ohh I must have been a wanker for doing this." I confess leaning into the arm James wraps around me.

"8 minutes apart" James counts, rubbing my back. Ginny and Harry rush back into the room, Lily close behind with a bag over her shoulder, my pillow tucked under her arm. "There's the van" James announced and shuffled me out the door.

I hiss as the van weaves around the traffic, shifting a little to try and get comfortable. "We're almost there El contractions still 8 minutes apart you're doing great." James murmurs, squeezing my hand. I let out a little laugh at that.

"Give me a couple hours and I don't think I'll be so peachy keen." I pant. Ginny had a mobile out and calling everyone in her family by the sounds of it, Harry is going to meet us at St. Mungos later. Lily sits on my other side, rummaging through the pack she brought for me.

"Shoot I forgot to pack socks, and a hair tie ohhh your hair is gonna get so bad and feet will be cold." She worried glancing over at me. I roll my eyes at her

"Lily don't be such a mother hen, my hair is already up and they provide you with n't socks at the hospital." I assure her sighing in relief as the van finally stops in front of the old department store. I don't pay much attention to the questions when we get in because my mums here, leading me down the hall to birthing ward, Potters in tow.

"Well it certainly looks like a hospital room." Lily states unimpressed, indeed the room is washed in a bright light with a hospital cot and a few chairs along (wizards don't need all the extra equipment that's what wands are for!)

"It's not like I'm moving in Lil it doesn't need to look all fancy." I tell her, grabbing the gown in the bed and going to the adjoining bathroom to change. When I returned there were five more chairs in the room, seating everyone. The head healer, a bright eyed blonde woman around the age of 25, breezed in.

"Hello Elide ready to pop out some babies?!" She asks, smiling way too big to be genuine. I nodd awkwardly, looking away.

"My contractions are every 8 minutes and…" I start until I realize I no longer have her attention.

"Oh my goodness your James Potter! Wow I am sorry I just loved your last match against the Tornados, I am a huge fan." Great, my healer has a celebrity crush on my boyfriend.


	16. The One With All the Labor

"Ahhh! ok ok El release the hand please just let it go it's done nothing to you, ow." Lily squealed wiggling her hand from mine, wincing. I glare at her as the contraction ravages my torso ( 10 hours in and 2 minutes apart ).

"You try dealing with the slow agony of pain that feels like my insides are ripping apart and see how well you handle it!" I snap, whimpering as the contraction starts to let up. Lily rolls her eyes at me sipping at her tea. I sigh at her, anger dissipating as soon as it appeared. "I'm sorry Lil I am just so tired, and uncomfortable, and impatient." I spooned some ice chips (the only thing the healers let me eat now ugh). "All the preparations and books on pregnancy and I did not think it would be this hard." I explain as the blonde Healer returns followed by James, who was carrying more ice chips. James was laughing at something Blondie said and settles in the chair by my bed, taking my hand.

"It took weeks for my brother to get the stain out my mum was so mad at him that we can't even have pumpkin juice at functions anymore!" Blondie finished, laughing again, checking on my cervix, then frowning. "Well Ellie it looks like you've stalled, but we can give you treatment for the pain now that you are so far along." She informed me, not seeing the annoyed look I sent her way at the butchering of my name.

"What does stalling mean?" I ask, impatient and eager for when she leaved again.

"Just that the cervix isn't expanding at a fast enough rate so it may be at least a few hours before you are ready to push.

"Is that normal? I have never heard of that before." My mum asks her, brow furrowing.

"Well no pregnancy is the same but multiples do tend to cause problems at this stage, like early labour and stalling." Blondie explains smoothly, like she's heard these questions a thousand times. "I wouldn't worry too much about it Ella is doing great!"

It's Elide" Mum, James, Lily and I tell her, Blondie doesn't appear to be listening. A bell rings in the room and the clipboard in Blondie's arms flashes.

"Excuse me I need to check up on another patient." Blondie flits from the room after smiling again at James. I scowl after her and then at James who has the good sense to look mistified. I didn't have the time to ask him about it before Ginny came in, covering some sort of schedule the family made in advance. Mum waves goodbye pulling Lily out with her who has never been awake so early in the morning before (6 am is early people). I was finally tired enough to take a nap myself so I asked Ginny to turn down the lights and I slept, for 45 minutes. The assistant healer came in and cast the spell that numbs my legs (magical epidural is bliss!) and James finally fell asleep in his chair. Harry stopped in to bring Ginny and James some food for breakfast (Blondie had another celeb fan moment ) which thankfully Ginny called her out on (though Blondie still doesn't call me by my name). When she left again we all laughed about her reaction Ginny's prickly side. Around 9 some of my friends came in for their shift, Ginny, Harry and a reluctant James went home to freshen up.

"I could go for a cinnamon roll right now, not the packaged kind but fresh from a bakery, I am so sick of hospital food!" I whine to Kragan when the excitement of my friends being here wore off. Kray rolls his eyes and promises to get me one when this is all over. Leah brought in the card book ( our group's collective effort to accumulate all the chocolate frog cards ever made ) along with a big box of fresh chocolate frogs her dad got her for christmas. I unwrapped and everyone else got to eat them or save them for later.

"Another Newt Scamander El" Kray announces handing me the card, I accept it looking it over.

"Oh my god! Look at the date, 1935!? This must be one of the first editions for his card, we should probably make sure the chocolate is not expired." I exclaim, slipping the new card into place.

"That has to be a sign or something? Maybe not to trust expiration dates." Sarah teased, biting a leg off another frog. Ingrid tossed a wrapper at her twin, snickering when Sarah fell off her chair. Blondie came in while we were all laughing, looking annoyed.

"There is a mx limit on visitors Miss Lachlan." She scolded down at where Sarah was still on the floor. I smirk at her pompous attitude, it isn't like she is that much older then we are.

"I know the limit is six people and there are only five here right now we aren't breaking any rules." I inform her as sassy as I can after being in a hospital room for sixteen hours. Blondie just rolls her eyes at me and checks my cervix again.

"Well you are still stalling but the contraction pain should be gone now, all we can do is wait." I swear the woman grins when I groan, she-devil.

"Isn't there anything I can do to help the process along like walking or something?' I ask, annoyed. She shakes her head, smiling too bright to be genuine.

"I'm afraid walking increases the risk of the babies moving into breach, and I don't want to make this any longer than it needs to be for you, just sit tight you seem to have plenty of distractions and I will check back in a few hours." She explains and she is off again.

"Lovely little thing she is" Lily grumbles, flipping through the book.

"How much you want to bet she's keeping El in stall mode?" Kray asks her, smirking at the new bet prospect.

"Oh come on Kray you should know that would be against the Healer's oath, she definitely having fun with it though, all the celebrity attention I mean." Sarah reasoned " James certainly is the traitor." she finished darkly. I roll my eyes at her.

"I doubt he's encouraging her, he isn't like that with his fans, but she does seem..persistent." I shudder at the thought of the lengths she could go to keep his attention.

"I wouldn't be surprised if she leaks a story or two about this whole thing." Ingrid states, waving a hand at the room and me. I grumble at the damage that would cause.

"Well kids congratulations your gritty birth scenes were splayed out for the rest of the wizarding world to see, do your best to live that down." I mutter sarcastically, Lily busts into giggles at that.

"Oh the price of fame, it affects us all" Kray crows, ducking to avoid Leah's swatt to the head. A knock on the door makes the room go quiet.

"Come in?" I call glancing around at my friends equally confused faces. My father entered tentatively holding a gift bag. No one moves or speaks, we all just take in my dad, in a suit, and looking very uncomfortable.

"Your brother told me you were here." My dad explained when I still looked confused. Deep breaths El, deep breaths.

"Can I talk to my dad alone?" I ask Lily, who nods and exits with the rest of my mates. My dad sits in one of the newly emptied chairs, setting the gift on a side table for later. We sit in silence for a few minutes, neither one of us know where to start. "Why are you here dad?" I ask him, trying to keep my disappointment from showing. I see his face fall at the question.

"I wanted to check in, make sure everything was okay, I read somewhere that multiples can cause problems in delivery." He explains, correction Demi read that somewhere then told him so he wouldn't seem like such a bad parent.

"What are you doing here dad?" I ask again, the man hasn't shown any concern for my well being in years, even before he kicked me out.

" I am to be a pappa and I want to be a part of my grand babies lives, and I wanted to apologize about how I handled it before. I am not a huge fan of change and this is a big one. Mum and I aren't on great terms but that doesn't take away my right to know these kids." I listen to his reasoning, I really do, but I just don't buy it.

"The thing is dad you and mum didn't do a great job as parents together, it never really seemed like you even wanted children in the first place. I don't want that kind of attitude around my children, if you really want to be involved you will not show up like this with no warning. I won't let you treat them like you treated me my whole life. I get to decide what relationship you will have with them, and you are entitled to nothing so don't try to guilt me into it." I inform him, getting angrier and angrier as I go. He looks hurt a little but I've said what I've been waiting to say for months now. He hands me the gift he brought.

"Something for them to wear after they are born, I know they babies get cold easily, I had them made from one of your old blankets." Three little baby caps in christmas colors with antlers stitched on them. I nod in thanks and replace them back in the bag.

"I'm really tired dad I haven't slept much so can we talk about this later?" He smiles at me, looking exhausted and a little sad as he pulls the door shut behind him. I let out a sob I didn't know I was holding, the babies kick, almost like they want to comfort me. I rub my swollen belly and nod off to sleep.

Blondie wakes me up a few hours later to check up on me, looking as tired as I feel. When I ask her about it she tells me about the extra shift she picked up to cover for her coworker. She finally acknowledged my real name and announced I had made progress, " a few more hours then we can move you to the delivery room. " she announces relieved. I see the ring on a chain then, hanging around her neck, she notices my stare and shows it to me. "My engagement ring, he proposed last week." Wait what?

"Ohh that's great congrats!" I tell her, hiding my relief.

Hugo checks in every few hours, impatient as I am, though seems to be in a bit of a daze. The tension between him and James is still there so Hugo never stays long. While I wait to go to the delivery room I talk to the babies, tell them stories and listen to my mum talk about having me for the billionth time. Hermione joins in, talking about Hugo as a baby, Blondie finally tells me I'm ready to push.

She wheels me into the delivery room. My mum Hermione and Hugo in tow. James is sitting with the rest of his family (literally). "Ok Elide I am going to have you push for ten seconds and rest for 30 ok now push!" Hugo supports my leg and Hermione does the same, my mum supports my back, keeping my hair out of my face.

"Baby is crowning!" Blondie announces "keep pushing." I grunt and heave until she is finally out. I start crying when she does. Blondie shows her to me before the assistant takes her to clean her up.

"That's Freya" I cry, panting, resting for not nearly long enough before the healers have me push again. I look at my mum as exhaustion starts to weigh me down "I can't push anymore mum it's to hard." I tell her, my mum gives me a fierce look, propping me up more.

"You can." She tells me, and I push. Soon Bryony is born, followed by Peyton. Hermione goes to the waiting room to tell everyone it's over, the babies are all cleaned up and weighed (6lb 1oz, 5lb 3oz, 5lb 1oz). The heals move me back into the room from before with the babies in their little cribs. I got the pump out from my baby bag mum dropped off earlier and start pumping while Hugo and mum keep the triplets occupied. When the three bottles are ready each of us takes a baby and they eat for the first time. I am still emotional from the labor so now I cry at everything, I hold Peyton after he is finished with his bottle, burping him and rocking slightly. Mum leaves for home, handing me Freya, and kissing my goodbye.

Hugo sits in a rocking chair cradling Bryony, and cooing to her. "I can tell she's a daddy's girl" I tell him and he shoots me a grateful smile.

"Then he is definitely a mummy's boy." He responds fixing Bryony's cap that is a little too big. "I'm just glad they have distinguished features, I don't know what I would have done if the girls were identical." I roll my eyes but refrain from telling him that's not how multiples work when they're different genders. A comfortable silence falls between us as the babies are rocked to sleep and placed back in their beds. I go to the bathroom to clean up taking a well deserved shower, letting the warm water calm me enough so that I fall asleep almost right away when I get back into bed.


	17. The One With the First Week

I sleep for a few hours before Peyton starts to cry. My mum picks him up rocking him as he wails.

"He's hungry El." She hands me the pump so I can a fill a bottle for him James must have come back into the room while I slept and is now rocking Freya. He looks a little disgruntled at the infant.

"I had to change their diapers while you slept." He informs me, making me chuckle.

"It's good practice James get ready to change many diapers, I reckon that's what most people do with babies." Mum tells him, smirking before shushing Peyton, I hand her the finished bottle and start on another.

"All diapers and no sleep" I mutter and watch Bryony sleep. All three of my babies don't look very different from each other, they all have the trademark dark blue eyes that all newborns have. Their sizes are not really obvious so we mostly rely on the hospital bracelets on their little ankles. All three are bald, wearing caps all the time to keep their heads warm. Bryony starts to cry just after I finished pumping the third bottle so I reach over the side of my bed and scoop her up. I watch the progress of the milk depleting, and my daughter blinking up at me. They aren't cute really, most newborns aren't born adorable, but they're still precious to me. When Bryony has kept down a reasonable portion of her bottle I grab a towel and burp her. Peyton was still fussy after he finished most of his bottle so mum nestled his head to rest against her neck, just cuddling for a while. I give Bryony the rest of her bottle, burping her again. I fall asleep with my baby in my arms.

It's around noon when my family and friends start to meet the babies for the first time. Hugo replaced James a few hours ago so James could freshen up for some event he had to go to in the evening. I watched as the babies were passed along from person to person. Leah was cooing over Peyton while Kragan just looked at Leah. Nolan had Bryony on her back on his legs, hands supporting her head. Hermione was holding Freya, chatting with Ron and Harry about the Ministry. Mum told me dad went to work for the day, I was glad, I still don't know how involved I want him to be with my family. It was starting to get really crowded in the little room, so after an hour Blondie kicked most of the guests out. For a while it was just me, Hugo and the babies, Blondie helping us make a schedule for them to keep somewhat organized.

"Don't let them sleep for too long during the day, or else they won't sleep very well in the night. They should be fed every two to three hours they will likely need diaper changes not long after each feeding. Here is a board we have been keeping track for you but when you go home tonight you will need to keep up with it. I nod sleepily, holding a snoring Freya nestled in a colorful blanket Molly senior had made. Hugo asked her all kinds of questions about the schedule and how it might change when we return to school in a week. "I recommend keeping two copies of this and informing whoever is watching them when you fed and changed them last, the schedule shouldn't change too much. Since you will be at school it may feel like you're losing the bonds you formed with them but I assure you they will be just fine. Who will they be staying with during the nights?" Blondie asks, glancing between the two of us.

"We decided that I would have them for the week and Hugo for the weekends, will that be ok?" I ask hoping I don't have to find another arrangement.

Blondie nods in confirmation "that should work fine as long as your dorm mates are comfortable sharing their space with three babies who will be up a lot during the nights." I nod and Hugo does to, he has four roommates but they worked on a noise cancelling bubble to put around their space so the crying won't disrupt them. Lily Leah and I are going to do the same when we return from break. This way Hugo and I will still hear them and get up with them. The night and weekends will mostly be the only times we will be able to spend with them for the rest of the school term. "Ok then I will let you guys have some family time, if you need me you know how to reach me." She finished and left the room again leaving the schedule behind. I ease Freya back into her crib and go for a walk down the corridor to clear my head. I am still sluggish from exhaustion and birth but I feel rejuvenated. Overwhelmed and incredibly anxious at these kids who now rely on their teenage parents, but I have the support I need, I want to treasure every moment. I pause in front of the door to my room, looking through the window. Hugo has Peyton in one arm and Bryony in the other, father and babies all asleep. I blame the tears on the hormonal imbalance.

"And we're home! Ok babies if you could stay asleep for a few hours so mummy can take a shower." The baby talk has been a new constant since the babies were born, unfortunately it's like a switch broke and I can't turn it off! Mum pulls the door shut behind me and pushes the pram into the sitting room unloading the babies into the rocking seats she must have set up earlier.

"Go take a shower love and we can bring them up to your room when your done." Mum tells me as she swings Peyton in his seat. Nolan looks up from his book (shocker) and picks up Bryony from the pram and holds her instead, reading aloud to them. He smiles at me briefly before I leave to clean up. I turn on the radio and jam out as the water heats up. I usually take 20 minute showers but after 10 I start to miss the babies, sighing I turn off the water. I change into my pj's and return to the sitting room, carrying the pump and start preparing for the night feedings. Nolan went up to bed and mum turned on the telly for some background noise. I finish at around 9:30 and my mum and I bring them up to my room which is basically more nursery now, with three cribs a changing table and a separate dresser for the babies. Mum switches on a night light and sets Peyton in his crib, already asleep. I wish her goodnight, still holding my girls who haven't fallen asleep yet. I nudge a ring pillow onto my lap and lay the girls inside so they face me, taking away some of the burden on my arms.

"Hey kiddos so I'm going bargain with you" I whisper (finally stop baby talking) "I will always love you, and we-we will do the best we can ok?" Their breathing turns heavy with sleep "ok" I finish setting them in their cribs. I nap on top of my bed until my timer goes off, feeding every few hours "welcome to motherhood El" I mumble to myself as I pick up Peyton, who had started stirring and grabbed the prepared bottle (charmed to heat up at the right temperature though I still test it on my skin anyway). "Ok little man, you hungry?" I ask as he eats, fighting the sleep that threatens to overwhelm me, Bryony starts crying, and I haven't finished with Peyton yet. I turn on her mobile to keep her subdued until my mum comes in.

"I got her honey you just finish with him." She says, rubbing sleep from her eyes taking Bryony and a bottle over to the rocking chair.

"Mum your tired and I need to learn to handle this myself I go to school next week!" I mumble but she ignores me.

"Take the help when you can honey trust me juggling you and your brother was hard even with the age difference, you don't have that advantage." I nod sighing when Peyton finally finishes with his bottle, I change his diaper and put him back in his crib. Freya was still sleeping, I bite my lip torn between waking her up to feed her on time or going off schedule. I still have fifteen minutes before the three hour mark so I take Bryony from mum and change her, wishing mum goodnight again. Thankfully Freya wakes not long after.

"Is it possible to be this tired when I sleep almost as much as they do. I swear I can sleep on command now." I complain to Nolan the next day shifting the baby monitor on the breakfast bar as I shovel in the eggs Milly made us, taking a swig of water. "Last was just..hard" I finished lamely scooping more eggs on my plate. I decline the cup of coffee he offers me "can't have coffee when I'm nursing."

"Didn't know it was going to be hard El I mean all those books on motherhood and not one of them said it would be trying?" I snort at him, swatting his fork away with my own, spearing some fruit and popping it into my mouth.

"Of course I knew it would be hard I just didn't really prepare myself for when they were actually here and the reality of the situation. And I don't regret having them, you know that right? I know I'm complaining but really it's just the venting of a delerius teenager in way over her head." Nolan nods at me, smirking, sipping his own coffee.

"Your going to be fine little sis, I know you will." I roll my eyes.

"Since when are you the soppy older brother type?" I ask him finished with my food now.

"Probably around the time you became a mum." He answers earnestly giving the monitor a pointed look when one of babies starts to cry.

"Ok yes haha Noly your a riot." I chortle, grabbing three newly cleaned bottles and answer the cry. "Good morning sweetie" I coo at Freya, the perpetrator of all the wailing. I scoop her up and carry her to the rocking chair while I wait for the bottle to fill, she doesn't stop crying until the bottle is ready. "I swear you babies act like I'm canceling christmas when I can't feed you right away, I'm your mummy not the grinch." I explain to her. A knock on the door and my mum comes in, scooping up a wailing Peyton and walking him around the room. "You going in to work today?" I ask, already working on another bottle. She nods shooting me a worried look.

"I can always stay home El I know how hard this must be for you and Nolan won't be here much either so just owl me and I can come right back." She accepts the full bottle I hand her preparing another one for Bryony.

"No mum really I am going to be fine Hugo should be coming over in an hour and we should be fine with the babies honestly I don't want you to have to put your life on hold for me." She gives me a grateful smile, setting Peyton down in his crib.

"Well I need to take off I will see you at four and I mean it one owl and I'm here." She gives me a serious look before going out the door. I wipe up a little spittle and burp Freya, setting her down in her crib.

"Ok it's Bryony's turn." I cradle her in the rocking chair while she eats, lost in thought (and exhaustion). I look around at my room, the bright colors I painted it after the baby shower. I had never seen this room as mine, I suppose it was always meant to be shared with them, they are my home.

The doorbell rings through the house, Milly must have let Hugo in because he joins me in my room.

"Hi" I greet him shifting Bryony to a different position in my arms.

"Hey" He responds sitting on my bed, moving the dirty onesies out of the way. "How was last night?" He asks, watching Bryony, not looking tired at all (lucky).

"About as good as it can be expected I guess I mean, all things considered." I explain, yawning.

"Well you get some sleep I can handle them for a while, but you need a solid block of sleep." I laugh handing him his daughter and moving to my parents room to get some sleep.

Five hours later I wake up to the crying. I smile at Hugo, a baby in each hand and the other is crying. I laugh at him, scooping up Peyton, soothing him. "Working on your baby juggling Hugo?" I tease and he makes a face at me before returning his attention to the girls. "Hey I have to clear some things up with you before everyone else comes home." I start waiting until he meets my gaze before I continue. "When I was in the hospital I couldn't help but notice you and James are still really uncooperative." He scowls but doesn't answer. "James is my boyfriend Hugo but your their daddy and you need to deal with the fact that he is going to be around you can't just ditch when he comes around." I explain, trying not to feel like Hugo is another one of my kids I'm lecturing.

"Why are you dating him anyway? I mean you started dating him after you got pregnant like do you want to replace me or something in case I flake out?"

"Oh my god really dude, replace you? I like him ok and he likes me and is supportive and mature and what I want in my life right now. He is ok with the fact that I have children in school do you know how rare that is? Not that you would ever have a problem with that your a Weasley girls are all over you!" I snap at his accusation.

"Keep your voice down El geez. I just don't get on with my cousin that well and that's fine I just think he is like overprotective of you." He explains looking annoyed. "He has made it clear to me he thinks I'm going to hurt you again and I am not going to do that." l look down at Peyton, avoiding his gaze. "You do know that don't you?" I sigh rocking now.

"To be honest I don't know because you almost got another girl pregnant this year along with myself and I put up walls, between you and my dad, I couldn't see any other option." Hurt flashes on his face "just work it out with James please, you and I are fine now but I need you both by my side, if only for their sake." I finish and we fall into silence focusing on the babies, until Hugo had to leave and my mum comes home. I relocate downstairs, making some tea. I pour mum a cup and sip from my own.

"How did it go?" She asks, curious. I sigh through my nose.

"The babies were great, their father has some behavioral issues."

"Really?"

"He and James are both trying to outdo each other in some sick male dominance contest, they can't even be in the same room with each other so I told him to deal with it which of course he didn't like and now he's upset with me." I reply, annoyed, "it's just ridiculous that they can't get past it I mean they had months to work it out before I had the babies and I see no difference." Mum gives me a knowing look, setting her mug down.

"You realize they both love you right?" Well shit.

Five days later

"I can't believe break is over I am going to miss the freedom." Lily whines as we settle in our compartment on the Hogwarts express. I snort at that, locking the wheels on the pram so it won't roll around.

"Yes well you enjoy all the freedom on this four hour long train ride because you and everyone else get to help watch the babies." I tell her smiling sickly sweet. She laughs, lifting our trunks on to the overhead compartment. I let the cats out of their cases and Moira paces around the pram. I riffle through the baby bag making sure I packed everything I need for them, when Moira jumps into my lap. "Hey kitty cat" I mutter scratching her ears, greeting my mates as they join us in the compartment.

"Oi oi ladies and babies" Marley greets us, sitting down next to Lily. I smile at him, holding Moira so she won't jump into the pram.

"What's the cat's problem El?" Ingrid asks, I sigh.

"Moira's been begging for attention since the babies were born and she likes to jump in their cribs and the pram so I have to keep an eye on her." I explain, grateful when Moira curls up at my feet.

"Yes it's the older child conflict every parent must face." Kragan say sadly, avoiding Leah's mock punch for his crap.

"But seriously how are the little angles? I mean their so cute sleeping." Kragan asks, giving the babies an adoring look.

"Yes they are adorable, until you wake them up, then they scream bloody murder, but aside from that their great." I say sarcastically. Kray laughs waving goodbye to Leah Ingrid, and Sarah as they leave to go to patrol. Bryony starts to titter and Lily reaches in the baby bag for a diaper. "Don't bother that's her hold me cry, she won't stop until you pick her up and will cry if she is still awake when you set her back down." I explain, Lily picks Bryony up, glaring at Riley who had started laughing.

"How do you know all that?" Marley asks me, looking impressed, making faces at Bryony.

"Hours and hours of attending their needs for the last week" I explain picking up Peyton so I can give him a bottle.

"Huh" Lily says, baffled. Riley jumps in with the topic of Christmas (his not being interrupted by grueling labor). Even though the babies are here now, nothing has really changed with us.


End file.
